Natural selection

Evolution of new species occurs by mutation and natural selection.

What is a mutation?

Describe the process of natural selection.

Which scientists suggested the theory of evolution by natural selection?

Tick (✓) one box.

The hoverfly and the wasp are insects with bright yellow and black markings.

Figure 12 shows a hoverfly and a wasp.

The wasp has a sting to defend itself against predators.

The hoverfly does not have a sting.

Hoverflies and wasps live in the same habitat.

Explain how having yellow and black markings helps the hoverfly survive.

Evolution of new species occurs by mutation and natural selection.

What is a mutation?

Describe the process of natural selection.

Which scientists suggested the theory of evolution by natural selection?

Tick () one box.

The hoverfly and the wasp are insects with bright yellow and black markings.

Figure 1 shows a hoverfly and a wasp.

The wasp has a sting to defend itself against predators.

The hoverfly does not have a sting.

Hoverflies and wasps live in the same habitat.

Explain how having yellow and black markings helps the hoverfly survive.

The Galapagos Islands are located in the Pacific Ocean. Several species of birds called finches live on the Galapagos Islands. These finches are very similar to each other. Figure 15 shows two modern species of Galapagos finch and their classification.

Figure 15

Medium ground finch Small ground finch

Complete Figure 15 to give the names of the missing classification groups.

Give the binomial name of the medium ground finch. Use information from Figure 15.

In each species of finch, there is a variation in beak depth.

Figure 16 shows how beak depth is measured.

Figure 17 shows the relationship between the beak depth of parent birds and the beak depth of their offspring.

Give evidence from Figure 17 that beak depth is an inherited characteristic.

Scientists suggested that more than one gene controls beak depth. Give evidence from Figure 17 to support the scientists’ suggestion.

Figure 18 is a map of the Galapagos Islands.

On Isabela Island, the medium ground finch and the small ground finch are found. On Daphne Island, only the medium ground finch is found. On Crossman Island, only the small ground finch is found. Figure 19 shows how the beak depth of each species varies on each island.

The medium ground finch and the small ground finch both feed on seeds.

The size of seeds eaten by each bird depends on the depth of the bird’s beak.

The range of beak depth of medium ground finches on Isabela Island is different from the range on Daphne Island. Explain what might have caused this difference.

Figure 19 shows:

• the two species of finch live on Isabela Island

• only one of the species lives on Daphne Island

• only one of the species lives on Crossman Island.

Suggest why both species of finch are able to live on Isabela Island.

Figure 7 shows the brain.

Which part of the brain becomes more active if a person balances on one leg instead of standing on two legs? Tick (✓) one box.

Name the part of the brain that is responsible for making a decision.

In most MRI scanners the person being scanned needs to stay completely still. A functional MRI (fMRI) scanner allows a person to move while the scanner makes images of the person’s brain activity. Suggest how the fMRI scanner could help to find out more about the brain damage a person has.

Describe how the brain receives information about light entering the eye. You should include the names of structures in your answer.

The eyes of some birds contain cells that detect ultraviolet (UV) light. UV light is reflected by some fruits and the urine of small mammals. Explain how birds that detect UV light have evolved from birds that could not detect UV light.

Fossils give evidence about organisms that lived a long time ago.

Scientists have found very few fossils of the earliest life forms.

Give one reason why.

Figure 3 is a photograph of a fossilised fish.

Suggest how the fossil in Figure 3 was formed.

The species of fish shown in Figure 3 is now extinct.

Give two possible causes of extinction.

Modern fish species have evolved from fish that lived a long time ago.

Evolution is caused by mutation and natural selection.

What is a mutation?

Tick one box.

Describe the process of natural selection.

Figure 12 shows a ring-tailed lemur.

Table 5 shows part of the classification of the ring-tailed lemur.

Complete Table 5 to give the names of the missing classification groups.

Give the binomial name of the ring-tailed lemur.

Use information from Table 5.

Lemurs are only found on the island of Madagascar.

Madagascar is off the coast of Africa.

Scientists think that ancestors of modern lemurs evolved in Africa and reached Madagascar about 50-60 million years ago.

Today there are many species of lemur living on Madagascar.

Figure 13 shows information about water currents.

Figure 14 shows the distribution of three species of lemur on Madagascar.

Suggest how ancestors of modern lemurs reached Madagascar.

Describe how the ancestors of modern lemurs may have evolved into the species shown in Figure 14.