Question
Eben is a biologist that studies Red Junglefowl, a relative of chickens, on Kauai, an island of Hawaii. Recently, red junglefowl have been mating with feral, or wild, chickens on this island, which has created a hybrid population. One of the biggest differences between chickens and Red Junglefowl is their breeding behaviors. Red Junglefowl females lay only a handful of eggs each year and only in the spring, while domestic chickens can lay many eggs during any season.
Eben collected data on when the hybrid hens were laying their eggs. The graph below shows what he found. Eben wants to know if this hybrid population is evolving to become more similar to domesticated chickens or Red Junglefowl.
Which of the statements most likely explains why this hybrid population has a breeding pattern similar to domesticated chickens?
Eben collected data on when the hybrid hens were laying their eggs. The graph below shows what he found. Eben wants to know if this hybrid population is evolving to become more similar to domesticated chickens or Red Junglefowl.
Which of the statements most likely explains why this hybrid population has a breeding pattern similar to domesticated chickens?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The most likely explanation for the hybrid population's breeding pattern being similar to domesticated chickens is that hybridization often results in the introduction of traits from both parent species, and in this case, the trait of higher egg production and year-round laying from domestic chickens is being expressed in the hybrids.
This could be due to several factors, including:
1. **Genetic Influence**: The genetic traits responsible for the prolific egg-laying of domestic chickens may be more dominant or beneficial in the hybrid population, allowing these traits to be more readily expressed and passed on to future generations.
2. **Environmental Adaptation**: The breeding patterns of domesticated chickens may be favored by the current environmental conditions on Kauai, leading to natural selection that promotes traits associated with more prolific egg-laying.
3. **Behavioral Plasticity**: The hybrids may exhibit behavioral changes that result in a shift towards the reproductive strategies of the more numerous domestic chickens, allowing them to take advantage of available resources and maximize reproductive success.
Therefore, the statement that most likely explains the hybrid population's breeding pattern is that the hybridization has led to the adoption of egg-laying behaviors that are more similar to those of domesticated chickens due to genetic, environmental, or behavioral factors favoring those traits.
This could be due to several factors, including:
1. **Genetic Influence**: The genetic traits responsible for the prolific egg-laying of domestic chickens may be more dominant or beneficial in the hybrid population, allowing these traits to be more readily expressed and passed on to future generations.
2. **Environmental Adaptation**: The breeding patterns of domesticated chickens may be favored by the current environmental conditions on Kauai, leading to natural selection that promotes traits associated with more prolific egg-laying.
3. **Behavioral Plasticity**: The hybrids may exhibit behavioral changes that result in a shift towards the reproductive strategies of the more numerous domestic chickens, allowing them to take advantage of available resources and maximize reproductive success.
Therefore, the statement that most likely explains the hybrid population's breeding pattern is that the hybridization has led to the adoption of egg-laying behaviors that are more similar to those of domesticated chickens due to genetic, environmental, or behavioral factors favoring those traits.