Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System

2019, High School Biology

Question 44: Open-Response

Reporting Category: Evolution and Biodiversity
Standard: 5.3 - Explain how evolution through natural selection can result in changes in biodiversity through the increase or decrease of genetic diversity within a population.
Standard: Sci.HS.LS.4.05 - Evaluate models that demonstrate how changes in an environment may result in the evolution of a population of a given species, the emergence of new species over generations, or the extinction of other species due to the processes of genetic drift, gene flow, mutation, and natural selection.

Three species of frogs live on the Philippine Islands in different niches. The first species lives on the ground and digs burrows for shelter. The second species lives in small bushes and frequently moves from place to place. The third species spends much of its life in holes in trees. Scientists think the three species have a recent common ancestor that lived only on the ground. They hypothesize that competition played a major role in the frogs' speciation.

Identify a factor that may have caused competition among the original ground-dwelling frogs.
Explain how the genetic diversity of the original ground-dwelling frogs allowed them to live in different niches.
Using your knowledge of natural selection, explain how living in different niches led to the development of the different species of frogs.

Scoring Guide for Idea Development

Select a score point in the table below to view the sample student response.

Score	Description
4	The response demonstrates a thorough understanding of how evolution through natural selection can result in changes in biodiversity. The response correctly identifies a factor that may have caused competition among the ground-dwelling frogs. The response clearly explains how the genetic diversity of the frogs allowed them to live in different niches and how living in different niches led to the development of the different species of frogs through natural selection.
4
3	The response demonstrates a general understanding of how evolution through natural selection can result in changes in biodiversity.
2	The response demonstrates a limited understanding of how evolution through natural selection can result in changes in biodiversity.
1	The response demonstrates a minimal understanding of how evolution through natural selection can result in changes in biodiversity.
0	The response is incorrect or contains some correct work that is irrelevant to the skill or concept being measured.

Note: There are 2 sample student responses for Score Point 4.

High School Biology

Question 12: Ecology

Question 23: Anatomy and Physiology

Question 32: Biochemistry and Cell Biology

Question 44: Evolution and Biodiversity

Question 45: Genetics

Return to the MCAS 2019 Student Work Directory

Last Updated: May 5, 2020