A population of cheetahs on the plains in southern Africa has very little genetic variation compared to other species in the area. Scientists are concerned that the cheetah population will not survive extreme environmental changes. What is the name of the effect the scientist observed and why is it a concern?(1 point)

Question

Responses

Bottleneck effect, because environmental stresses affecting one cheetah could affect them all
Bottleneck effect, because environmental stresses affecting one cheetah could affect them all
Frameshift mutation, because it only produces ineffective proteins
Frameshift mutation, because it only produces ineffective proteins
Substitution mutation, because the these mutations cannot be passed to offspring
Substitution mutation, because the these mutations cannot be passed to offspring
Disaster effect, because the cheetahs have mutated to produce ineffective proteins

Answer 1

The correct response is:

Bottleneck effect, because environmental stresses affecting one cheetah could affect them all.

This is a concern because low genetic variation means that the population lacks diverse genetic traits that can help individuals adapt to changing environments or resist diseases. If one cheetah is affected by an environmental stressor, it's likely that many others will be too, potentially leading to a population decline or extinction.