MYP Biology 5.9 Natural Selection Questionbank

Natural selection can only operate on __________ that is already present within a population.

Why does the development of a complex adaptation typically require a population to undergo natural selection over many generations rather than occurring within a single lifetime?

acquired characteristics

advantageous traits

random mutations

environmental pressures

DNA polymerase

The environment

Meiosis

Genetic mutations

The individual must reproduce and pass on its alleles

The individual must undergo a new mutation

The individual must change its behavior to suit the environment

The entire population must immediately change its phenotype

acquired strength

environmental pressure

behavioral intent

existing variation

It takes multiple reproductive cycles for advantageous alleles to increase in frequency within the population’s gene pool.

Natural selection can only act on traits that are acquired by individuals through learning and physical practice.

The environment only creates new beneficial mutations after a population has struggled for a long period.

Individual organisms need several years to modify their own genetic code to better suit the environment.