Across
- 2. Humans admired Monarchs so much that they bred them based on desirable traits, multiplying their population. What is this process called?
- 3. After a massive decline in population, some Monarch groups evolved smaller wings for maneuverability while others developed longer wings for endurance flights. What process causes random changes in allele frequency due to small population size?
- 4. Western Monarchs reproduce early in the spring, while Eastern Monarchs reproduce later. What type of prezygotic barrier does this create?
- 8. Scientists studying Monarch development noticed their eggs now hatch much faster than before. What field of biology examines how embryos change over time?
- 9. The Rocky Mountains divide Monarch populations, causing the Eastern group to migrate to Mexico while the Western group migrates to California. What type of reproductive isolation is this?
- 10. Bright orange wings in Monarchs serve as a warning to predators, just like velvet ants or dogbane beetles. What process describes unrelated species evolving similar traits due to similar environmental pressures?
- 13. Monarchs that could eat the toxic dogbane plant filled a new ecological niche when milkweed became scarce. What is the process of one species evolving into multiple species to fill different roles?
- 16. Male Monarchs choose to mate with females that have the brightest wings. What type of selection does this represent?
- 17. A sudden genetic mutation allowed some Monarchs to fly faster, helping them outcompete their slower relatives. What evolutionary pattern describes this burst of rapid change?
Down
- 1. Millions of years later, Monarchs evolved body parts—like the front legs and jaw-like maxillary palp—that no longer serve their original function. What are these structures called?
- 5. One group of Monarchs evolved the ability to digest a toxic plant, while another evolved to avoid it. They shaped each other’s adaptations. What is this process called?
- 6. Over the course of 10 million years, Monarchs underwent large-scale evolutionary changes, ultimately resulting in a new species. What is the term for this kind of large-scale evolutionary change?
- 7. As climate change made breeding grounds too hot or too cold, Monarchs that survived extreme temperatures eventually formed a new species without being physically separated. What is this process called?
- 11. Over 9 million years, Monarchs gradually transitioned from large or small body sizes to a balanced middle size. What evolutionary concept describes slow, steady change over a long period of time?
- 12. In the absence of evolutionary pressures, a population’s allele frequencies remain constant. What principle describes this genetic stability?
- 14. As food became scarce, Monarchs that could reproduce twice as fast had an advantage. What type of natural selection is this?
- 15. A small group of Monarchs that migrated farther south became genetically distinct from their original population. What is the evolutionary effect of starting a new population with limited genetic diversity?