Question

HEREDITY AND GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS

DATA
________________# GM SALMON____# WILD SALMON____TOTAL # OF SALMON____% OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED SALMON
STARTING GEN__1_______________5________________6_______________________ 16.6%
MATING 1_______2_______________6________________8_______________________25%
MATING 2_______4_______________8________________12______________________33.3%
MATING 3_______6_______________9________________15______________________40%
MATING 4_______8_______________10_______________18______________________44.4%
MATING 5_______10_____________11________________21______________________27.6%
MATING 6_______12_____________12________________24______________________50%
MATING 7_______15_____________12________________28______________________53.6%

QUESTIONS ABOUT DATA (1 short simple sentence each)
1)USE MODELS: How does this activity model the spread of genes from one generation to the next?
2)DRAW CONCLUSION: Did any of the mating events show the same number or a decrease in GM salmon? Explain your response.
3)INTERPRET DATA: Review the results of the lab as recorded in your data table. Based on your data, how could a genetic modification in salmon spread through a marine ecosystem?

Answer 1

1) This activity models the spread of genes by illustrating how the proportion of genetically modified organisms can increase across successive generations through mating.

2) Yes, Mating 5 demonstrated a decrease in the percentage of GM salmon, going from 44.4% in Mating 4 to 27.6%, likely due to a higher proportion of wild salmon in that mating.

3) Based on the data, genetic modification in salmon could spread through a marine ecosystem by consistently increasing the percentage of GM salmon in each successive generation, especially if GM salmon have a reproductive advantage.