GED Science : Natural Selection
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Example Question #1 : Natural Selection
Which of the following is not a result of natural selection?
Dogs with hypoallergenic fur
Thorns on a rose bush
The long neck of a giraffe
Changing colors of a chameleon
Dogs with hypoallergenic fur
In the case of the giraffe, chameleon, and rose, the species naturally adapted in order to survive. However, in the case of the dogs, there was intervention by man. Certain species and individuals were crossed to select for the desired genes that result in hypoallergenic fur, allowing the dogs to be kept by owners who would otherwise be allergic. Therefore, the dogs are an example of ARTIFICIAL selection, while the other choices demonstrate NATURAL selection. Natural selection is also referred to as survival of the fittest.
Example Question #1 : Natural Selection
Which of the following is an example of natural selection?
A falling rock crushes half of the flowers on a hill, but leaves the other half alive
Dogs are groomed by humans for desired traits
Prairie dogs with darker fur colors get eaten more often by predators than prairie dogs with lighter fur
Organisms can only reproduce with other organisms of their species
Prairie dogs with darker fur colors get eaten more often by predators than prairie dogs with lighter fur
Natural selection is when nature makes certain traits more common due to their inherent advantage in a given environment. When a prairie dog is better hidden based on its fur color, that color will become more common over time as the darker fur colors are eaten away by predators. Humans can also make certain traits more common over time, such as in dogs, but this is an example of artificial selection, not natural.
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