Download Adaptations homework - Kinross High School

S3 Homework on Adaptation, Natural Selection and Evolution
Complete this in the back of your jotter
1. a) What is meant by the term mutation?
1
b) In what way are mutations sometimes advantageous to a species?
1
2. a) Exposure to radiation can cause mutation. The pie chart below shows the
contribution of various sources of radiation to the total exposure.
i) Which source of radiation contributes most to the total exposure?
1
ii) What percentage of the total exposure comes from X-rays?
1
iii) Name another mutagenic agent, apart from radiation.
1
b) The table shows the occurrence of genetic mutations in fruit flies when
exposed to different amounts of radiation.
Amount of radiation
(units)
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Genetic mutations (%)
1.0
1.9
3.1
4.2
5.3
i) On a piece of graph paper, draw a line graph to show the data in the table.
3
ii) What conclusion can be drawn from the graph?
1
3. The snail Cepea shows variation in shell colour.
Two of the forms are shown below.
The table below shows the results of an investigation into the numbers of
each form of the snail found in two habitats.
Habitat
dense woodland
open grassland
Light form
14
58
Dark form
64
12
Explain how natural selection has resulted in the high numbers of the dark
form of the shell in dense woodland and low numbers in open grassland
3
4. Hawaii is a group of islands isolated in the Pacific Ocean.
Different species of Honeycreeper birds live on these islands.
The heads of four species of Honeycreeper are shown below.
a) How does the diagram of the different Honeycreeper species suggest
that they occupy different niches?
2
b) The Honeycreeper species have evolved in geographical isolation.
Name one other type of barrier involved in the evolution of new species.
1
5. Use the internet to find out how desert plants like cacti are adapted to living in
a warm and dry habitat.
5
TOTAL = 20 MARKS.