A scientist was investigating why several fish caught from a local stream displayed similar mutations. He found that the water temperature of the stream was elevated since an industrial plant began discharging heated water into the stream. The scientist concluded that increased water temperature during the egg phase led to the mutation in the fish. According to this conclusion, the mutation was caused by

Question

A scientist was investigating why several fish caught from a local stream displayed similar mutations. He found that the water temperature of the stream was elevated since an industrial plant began discharging heated water into the stream. The scientist concluded that increased water temperature during the egg phase led to the mutation in the fish. According to this conclusion, the mutation was caused by
(5 P

GPT-4o mini · Answer

According to the scientist's conclusion, the mutation in the fish was caused by **a change in environmental conditions**, specifically the **increased water temperature** due to the industrial plant's discharge. This elevated temperature during the egg phase likely contributed to the developmental anomalies, leading to the observed mutations in the fish. This scenario highlights the impact of environmental factors on biological processes, particularly during critical developmental stages.