The scenario described is an example of genetic drift. In this case, the shorter tail does not provide any survival or reproductive advantage, and the change in the trait is due to chance rather than selection pressures. Genetic drift refers to random changes in the frequency of traits in a population, especially in small populations, that can happen purely by chance rather than through natural selection.
An animal is born with a shorter tail. This makes no difference to its ability to survive or reproduce, but as a result of pure luck, the animal survives, reproduces, and passes its shorter tail down to its offspring. Over time, the species develops a shorter tail.
What type of process is described in this scenario?
• genetic modification
• natural selection
• genetic drift
• artificial selection
5 answers
Some fish in a murky underground lake have lighter scales than the others. This makes it slightly harder for the lighter fish to escape detection by predators, but most light-colored fish live long enough to reproduce. A natural event separates the dark-scaled fish from their light-scaled cousins, and as a result, a new species of dark-scaled fish emerges.
Which statement accurately describes the scenario?
• The fish experienced an evolutionary change because of natural selection.
• The fish survived because of an inheritable advantage.
• The fish experienced an evolutionary change because of genetic drift.
• The fish survived because of a non-genetic advantage.
Which statement accurately describes the scenario?
• The fish experienced an evolutionary change because of natural selection.
• The fish survived because of an inheritable advantage.
• The fish experienced an evolutionary change because of genetic drift.
• The fish survived because of a non-genetic advantage.
The statement that accurately describes the scenario is: The fish experienced an evolutionary change because of natural selection.
In this case, the lighter-scaled fish have a slight disadvantage in terms of escaping predators, which indicates that the dark-scaled fish may have a more advantageous trait in that environment. Although the lighter fish still reproduce, the natural selection process is influencing the survival and reproduction rates of the different color variants, leading to an evolutionary change as a new species of dark-scaled fish emerges.
Which scenario accurately describes an example of artificial selection?
A scientist modifies the genes of a tomato plant to make it more resistant to disease.
• A woman who worked hard to become a superior athlete has children who also turn out to be
dedicated athletes.
• A farmer intentionally breeds oranges to be more resistant to aphids.
A seal living in a coastal region where food is abundant thrives and reproduces because of the abundance of food.
A scientist modifies the genes of a tomato plant to make it more resistant to disease.
• A woman who worked hard to become a superior athlete has children who also turn out to be
dedicated athletes.
• A farmer intentionally breeds oranges to be more resistant to aphids.
A seal living in a coastal region where food is abundant thrives and reproduces because of the abundance of food.
The scenario that accurately describes an example of artificial selection is: A farmer intentionally breeds oranges to be more resistant to aphids.
In this case, the farmer is actively selecting for specific traits (resistance to aphids) in the oranges through breeding practices, which is the essence of artificial selection.