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

Frameshift mutation, because it only produces ineffective proteins
Frameshift mutation, because it only produces ineffective proteins

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

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.

The bottleneck effect occurs when a significant percentage of a population is suddenly reduced, leading to a loss of genetic variation. This low genetic diversity can make the population more vulnerable to environmental changes, as the lack of variation means there is a reduced ability to adapt to new challenges.