Questions and Answers

Describe the role of artificial selection in the production of economically important plants and animals

Describe artificial selection (selective breeding) with reference to: (a) selection by humans of animals or plants with desirable features (b) crossing these to produce the next generation (c) selection of offspring showing the desirable features (d) repetition over many generations

Describe the development of strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including MRSA, as an example of natural selection

Describe how the inherited features of a population can evolve over time as a result of natural selection

Describe natural selection with reference to: (a) variation within populations (b) production of many offspring (c) struggle for survival, including competition for resources (d) reproduction by individuals that are better adapted to the environment than others (e) passing on of their alleles to the next generation

Understand that ionising radiation and some chemicals increase the rate of mutation

State that mutation, meiosis, random mating and random fertilisation are sources of genetic variation in populations

Describe a chromosome mutation as a change in the chromosome number or structure, using Down’s syndrome as an example (47 chromosomes instead of 46)

Describe a gene mutation as a random change in the base sequence of DNA, using sickle cell anaemia as an example

Describe the determination of sex in humans (XX and XY chromosomes)