Question

Genetic mutations can have harmful or beneficial effects, or no effects at all, on organisms. Look at the image below of an organism with a mutation related to its fur and eyes, and then answer the following question. How could this mutation be helpful to the organism? How could it be harmful?

albino squirrel perching

Grading Considerations

Your answer must include an example of a circumstance/setting in which the mutation could be beneficial and an example of how it could be harmful.
Your answer must directly reference/mention the organism in the image.
Your answer should be 2-3 sentences in length. In an effort to combat plagiarism, answers longer than 5 sentences will not be considered. Answering concisely is evidence that you understand the material, and this question can be answered fully in just 2-3 sentences.
(2 points)

Answer 1

The albino squirrel’s white fur could be helpful in snowy environments because it would blend with the snow and make the animal harder for predators to spot. It could be harmful in typical forest settings because the white fur is conspicuous to predators, and the lack of pigment in its eyes (albinism) often causes poor vision and light sensitivity that reduce survival.