Microevolution Practice Quiz: Test Your AP Biology Knowledge

📚 Topic Summary

Microevolution refers to the changes in allele frequencies within a population over a relatively short period. These changes can be caused by several factors, including natural selection, mutation, gene flow, and genetic drift. Unlike macroevolution, which involves larger-scale evolutionary changes leading to the formation of new species, microevolution focuses on the small, incremental changes that occur within a species or population.

🧫 Part A: Vocabulary

Match the term with its correct definition:

1. Mutation
2. Gene Flow
3. Genetic Drift
4. Natural Selection
5. Allele Frequency

Definitions:

1. The proportion of a specific allele within a population.
2. The movement of genes from one population to another.
3. A random change in the DNA sequence.
4. The process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more successfully.
5. Random changes in allele frequencies due to chance events.

Answer Key:

• 🧬 1 - c
• 🌱 2 - b
• 🌪️ 3 - e
• 🎯 4 - d
• 📊 5 - a

✏️ Part B: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the following paragraph using the words provided:

(adaptation, population, evolution, heritable, environment)

____________ is the process of change in the ____________ characteristics of a ____________ over time. A key mechanism of evolution is natural selection, where traits that provide a(n) ____________ advantage become more common because they are ____________ and allow individuals to better survive and reproduce in their ____________.

Answer Key:

• 🔄 Evolution
• 🧬 Heritable
• 👪 Population
• 🌿 Adaptation
• 🏞️ Environment

🤔 Part C: Critical Thinking

Describe how a population of insects could develop resistance to a pesticide over several generations. Explain the roles of variation, selection, and inheritance in this process.

Sample Answer:

• 🐛 Variation: Initially, within the insect population, there will be natural variation in their genetic makeup. Some insects may possess genes that make them slightly more resistant to the pesticide than others.
• 🧪 Selection: When the pesticide is applied, it acts as a selective pressure. Insects with lower resistance will be killed, while those with higher resistance are more likely to survive.
• 🌱 Inheritance: The surviving, more resistant insects reproduce and pass on their resistance genes to their offspring. Over time, as this cycle repeats, the proportion of resistant insects in the population increases. Eventually, the entire population may become largely resistant to the pesticide.