Question

A population of cheetahs on the plains in southern Africa has very little genetic variation compared to other species in the area. Scientists are concerned that the cheetah population will not survive extreme environmental changes. What is the name of the effect the scientist observed and why is it a concern?(1 point) Responses Substitution mutation, because the these mutations cannot be passed to offspring Substitution mutation, because the these mutations cannot be passed to offspring Bottleneck effect, because environmental stresses affecting one cheetah could affect them all Bottleneck effect, because environmental stresses affecting one cheetah could affect them all Disaster effect, because the cheetahs have mutated to produce ineffective proteins Disaster effect, because the cheetahs have mutated to produce ineffective proteins Frameshift mutation, because it only produces ineffective proteins

Answer 1

The correct response is: **Bottleneck effect, because environmental stresses affecting one cheetah could affect them all.**

The bottleneck effect occurs when a population's size is significantly reduced for at least one generation, leading to a loss of genetic diversity. This lack of genetic variation is a concern because it makes the population more vulnerable to environmental changes, diseases, and other threats, as there may not be enough genetic diversity for individuals to adapt to new challenges.