Natural Selection APPLICATION

These questions require greater thought than simple quiz questions.  Consult/study the application questions first.

There is one written question asking you to apply the theory to explain actual situations.  It is often the type of question I ask on tests.  I'd like you to try it here.  But first, let me give you an example:

SCENARIO:  Population of mice whose home was covered in white volcanic ash became lighter-colored over the next 100 years.

SAMPLE ANSWER:   Presumably the mice had some variation in their coat color.  Normally mice are brown but some were probably darker and others lighter.  [that is the VARIATION part, which required some speculation]  Parents pass on their coat color to offspring through genes.  [that was the INHERITANCE part]  After the volcanic blast the mice that survive had a different environment.  Dark-colored mice would stand out to predators in the light-colored ash; therefore, they would not pass on their genes.  [that illustrates differential survival/death/decrease]  Over time, the light-colored mice became the most common color in the population.  [in other words that favorable trait ACCUMULATED]