A species of fox lives in the arctic where the ground is covered in white snow most of the year. These arctic foxes hunt rodents and other small mammals, while their predators include eagles, wolves, and polar bears. A mutation in its DNA causes a fox to have white fur rather than brown. Given this information, would you classify this mutation as harmful, beneficial, or neutral? Would this make the fox more or less likely to survive? Explain your answer.
5 answers
In this case, the mutation causing the fox to have white fur instead of brown would be considered beneficial. The white fur would provide better camouflage for the fox in their snowy environment, making it harder for predators such as eagles, wolves, and polar bears to spot them. This increased camouflage would give the white-furred foxes a higher chance of survival compared to their brown-furred counterparts, as they would be better able to hunt and evade predators. Therefore, this mutation would increase the likelihood of the foxes with white fur surviving and passing on their genes, ultimately benefiting the population as a whole.
Rabbits are very popular domesticated animals, so popular that there are over 300 breeds of domesticated rabbits in the world. You attend a rabbit show and notice that all the breeds vary in many characteristics, such as size, color, and fur length. You notice that there is weight information on the cages of all rabbit individuals at the show and decide to jot down data for two specific rabbit breeds (in pounds):
Breed A: 10, 8, 7, 10, 9, 9, 10, 9
Breed B: 10, 12, 14, 13, 10, 15, 11, 12
In three to five sentences, 1) calculate the average weights of the two rabbit breed groups, 2) describe some factors that could contribute to the different weights seen within breeds, and 3) describe how you would track and find the growth rate of the two rabbit breeders during an investigation.
Breed A: 10, 8, 7, 10, 9, 9, 10, 9
Breed B: 10, 12, 14, 13, 10, 15, 11, 12
In three to five sentences, 1) calculate the average weights of the two rabbit breed groups, 2) describe some factors that could contribute to the different weights seen within breeds, and 3) describe how you would track and find the growth rate of the two rabbit breeders during an investigation.
1) To calculate the average weights of the two rabbit breed groups:
For Breed A:
(10 + 8 + 7 + 10 + 9 + 9 + 10 + 9) / 8 = 8.875 pounds
For Breed B:
(10 + 12 + 14 + 13 + 10 + 15 + 11 + 12) / 8 = 11.875 pounds
2) Factors that could contribute to the different weights seen within breeds include genetics, diet, exercise levels, and overall health. Different breeds may have been selectively bred to prioritize certain traits, such as size, which can lead to variations in weight. Additionally, individual rabbits within a breed may have different metabolisms or nutritional needs, impacting their weight.
3) To track and find the growth rate of the two rabbit breed groups during an investigation, you could periodically weigh individual rabbits and record their weights over time. By tracking their weights at regular intervals (e.g., weekly or monthly), you can calculate the rate at which they are growing. This information can help you identify any trends or patterns in growth and assess how different factors may be influencing the growth rates of the two rabbit breeds.
For Breed A:
(10 + 8 + 7 + 10 + 9 + 9 + 10 + 9) / 8 = 8.875 pounds
For Breed B:
(10 + 12 + 14 + 13 + 10 + 15 + 11 + 12) / 8 = 11.875 pounds
2) Factors that could contribute to the different weights seen within breeds include genetics, diet, exercise levels, and overall health. Different breeds may have been selectively bred to prioritize certain traits, such as size, which can lead to variations in weight. Additionally, individual rabbits within a breed may have different metabolisms or nutritional needs, impacting their weight.
3) To track and find the growth rate of the two rabbit breed groups during an investigation, you could periodically weigh individual rabbits and record their weights over time. By tracking their weights at regular intervals (e.g., weekly or monthly), you can calculate the rate at which they are growing. This information can help you identify any trends or patterns in growth and assess how different factors may be influencing the growth rates of the two rabbit breeds.
A student investigated the effect of root space on plant growth. The student grew two groups of plants of the same variety. Both groups received the same amount of water and sunlight and grew in the same type of soil. The plants in Group A were grown in cube-shaped containers that were 3 centimeters deep. The plants in Group B were grown in cube-shaped containers that were 10 centimeters deep. The table shows the student's observations.
What was the effect of root space on plant growth based on the student’s investigation? Use the data from the table to support your answer. Explain how you would know whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors
What was the effect of root space on plant growth based on the student’s investigation? Use the data from the table to support your answer. Explain how you would know whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors
Based on the student's investigation, the effect of root space on plant growth appears to be a significant factor. The data from the table shows that the average height and number of leaves for Group B plants, grown in deeper containers with more root space (10 cm), were higher compared to Group A plants, grown in shallower containers with less root space (3 cm). This suggests that plants with more root space were able to grow taller and produce more leaves, indicating that root space positively impacted plant growth in this experiment.
To determine whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors, the student could conduct further experiments. One approach could be to repeat the experiment with the same plant variety but varying other environmental factors such as sunlight exposure, water quality, or soil nutrients. If the same pattern of increased growth in plants with more root space is observed under various environmental conditions, it would suggest that root space is a significant environmental factor influencing plant growth. On the other hand, if the experiment is repeated with different plant varieties that have varying genetic traits, and the same growth disparity is observed between plants with different root space, it would indicate that genetic factors are also at play in determining the impact of root space on plant growth.
To determine whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors, the student could conduct further experiments. One approach could be to repeat the experiment with the same plant variety but varying other environmental factors such as sunlight exposure, water quality, or soil nutrients. If the same pattern of increased growth in plants with more root space is observed under various environmental conditions, it would suggest that root space is a significant environmental factor influencing plant growth. On the other hand, if the experiment is repeated with different plant varieties that have varying genetic traits, and the same growth disparity is observed between plants with different root space, it would indicate that genetic factors are also at play in determining the impact of root space on plant growth.
7 answers