Adaptations and Mutations Quiz Study Guide

What is natural selection?

Organisms that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing their traits to offspring.

What is an adaptation?

A characteristic or trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment.

What is camouflage?

An adaptation that helps organisms blend into their surroundings to avoid predators or catch prey.

What are environmental pressures?

Factors in the environment that affect an organism’s survival, such as predators, climate, food supply, or disease.

What is a population?

A group of organisms of the same species living in the same area.

What are traits?

Characteristics inherited from parents, such as eye color or fur color.

What is a mutation?

A change in the DNA sequence of an organism.

What are environmental mutagens?

Things in the environment that can cause mutations, such as radiation, chemicals, or UV light.

What is a whole chromosome mutation?

A mutation that affects an entire chromosome, such as extra or missing chromosomes.

What is a gene mutation?

A change in the DNA sequence of a single gene.

What is a substitution mutation?

A mutation where one DNA base is replaced by another base.

What is an insertion mutation?

A mutation where extra DNA bases are added into a sequence.

What is a deletion mutation?

A mutation where DNA bases are removed from a sequence.

What is artificial selection?

When humans choose which organisms reproduce to produce desired traits.

What is genetic engineering?

Changing the DNA in living organisms.

What are genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?

Organisms whose DNA has been altered through genetic engineering.

What are transgenic organisms?

Organisms that contain DNA from another species introduced artificially.

What is gene therapy?

A process where disease-causing genes are removed and beneficial genes are inserted.

Why did brown caterpillars become more common over time?

brown caterpillars were harder for birds to see, so they survived and reproduced more often than yellow caterpillars.

What would happen if all caterpillars were yellow?

Natural selection would not occur because there would be no variation in traits for selection to act on.

Original DNA: TACACCTTGGCGACGACT
Mutated DNA: TACACCTTAGCGACGACT
What type of mutation is this?

Substitution mutation.

What is an example of artificial selection?

Breeding race horses to produce offspring with desired traits.

How is the peppered moth an example of natural selection?

Moths with colors that blended into their environment were less likely to be eaten and more likely to survive and reproduce.