Multiple Choice
Which of the following is NOT an essential characteristic of a keystone species?
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1. Introduction to Biology
Natural Selection and Evolution
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Which of the following scenarios best illustrates natural selection as an evolutionary mechanism?
A
Genes are transferred from one population to another through migration.
B
A population of moths becomes darker over generations because darker moths are less likely to be eaten by predators.
C
Random changes in allele frequencies occur in a population due to chance events.
D
A small group of birds is separated from the main population by a storm and starts a new colony on an island.
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the concept of natural selection. Natural selection is an evolutionary mechanism where individuals with traits that provide a survival or reproductive advantage are more likely to pass those traits to the next generation. Over time, this leads to changes in the population's genetic makeup.
Step 2: Analyze the given scenarios. Each scenario represents a different evolutionary mechanism. For example, migration involves gene flow, random changes in allele frequencies are associated with genetic drift, and the separation of a small group of birds relates to the founder effect.
Step 3: Focus on the scenario involving the population of moths. This scenario describes a population becoming darker over generations because darker moths are less likely to be eaten by predators. This illustrates differential survival based on a trait (color), which is a hallmark of natural selection.
Step 4: Compare the moth scenario to the definition of natural selection. The darker coloration provides a survival advantage, leading to increased reproductive success for darker moths. Over time, this trait becomes more common in the population, demonstrating natural selection.
Step 5: Conclude that the moth scenario best illustrates natural selection as an evolutionary mechanism because it directly involves the survival advantage of a specific trait influencing the population's genetic composition over generations.
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