Question
Within a decade of the introduction of a new insecticide, nearly all of the descendants of the target pests were immune to the usual-sized dose. The most likely explanation for this immunity to that insecticide is that:
(1 point)
Responses
It destroyed organisms that caused disease in the insects, thus allowing them to live longer.
It destroyed organisms that caused disease in the insects, thus allowing them to live longer.
Eating the insecticide caused the bugs to become resistant to it.
Eating the insecticide caused the bugs to become resistant to it.
It selected random mutations that were present in the insect population and that provided immunity to the insecticide.
It selected random mutations that were present in the insect population and that provided immunity to the insecticide.
Eating the insecticide caused the bugs to become less resistant to it.
(1 point)
Responses
It destroyed organisms that caused disease in the insects, thus allowing them to live longer.
It destroyed organisms that caused disease in the insects, thus allowing them to live longer.
Eating the insecticide caused the bugs to become resistant to it.
Eating the insecticide caused the bugs to become resistant to it.
It selected random mutations that were present in the insect population and that provided immunity to the insecticide.
It selected random mutations that were present in the insect population and that provided immunity to the insecticide.
Eating the insecticide caused the bugs to become less resistant to it.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The most likely explanation for the immunity observed in the descendants of the target pests is:
**It selected random mutations that were present in the insect population and that provided immunity to the insecticide.**
This explanation aligns with the principles of natural selection, where individuals with mutations that confer resistance to an insecticide survive and reproduce, passing those traits on to future generations. Over time, this can lead to the population becoming predominantly resistant to the insecticide.
**It selected random mutations that were present in the insect population and that provided immunity to the insecticide.**
This explanation aligns with the principles of natural selection, where individuals with mutations that confer resistance to an insecticide survive and reproduce, passing those traits on to future generations. Over time, this can lead to the population becoming predominantly resistant to the insecticide.