Rock pocket mice are generally light-colored and live on light-colored rocks. However, a mutation in the population codes for a darker fur color. There are nearby areas of black lava rock from a volcanic eruption thousands of years ago. Scientists have tracked the dark and light colored mice for many years. If natural selection is occurring, what would you expect they found? Select ALL that apply.

Question

Rock pocket mice are generally light-colored and live on light-colored rocks. However, a mutation in the population codes for a darker fur color. There are nearby areas of black lava rock from a volcanic eruption thousands of years ago. Scientists have tracked the dark and light colored mice for many years. If natural selection is occurring, what would you expect they found? Select ALL that apply.

Responses
A There are similar numbers of black and tan mice in both environments.There are similar numbers of black and tan mice in both environments.
B Visual predators favored the tan mice on the dark rock and black mice on the light rock.Visual predators favored the tan mice on the dark rock and black mice on the light rock.
C The black mice on the black rock camouflage better, allowing them to survive and reproduce.The black mice on the black rock camouflage better, allowing them to survive and reproduce.
D The black mice will die out in the light environment and never move to the dark environment.The black mice will die out in the light environment and never move to the dark environment.
E There are more black mice in the dark environment and more tan mice in the light environment.

Answer 1

E The black mice in the dark environment would have better camouflage, allowing them to survive and reproduce, resulting in more black mice in the dark environment. The light-colored mice would have better camouflage on the light-colored rocks, allowing them to survive and reproduce, resulting in more tan mice in the light environment.