A horse and a donkey can mate with each other. Their offspring,called a mule, is not fertile. Do horses and donkeys belong to the same species? Explain your answer.
A scientist collects wild rabbits that live at sea level and moves them to the mountains. One year later, the scientist discovers that the same rabbits have larger lungs, which help them breathe the thin mountain air. The scientiss returns the rabbit to sea level. Will the offspring of the rabbits have larger-than-normal lungs? Explain.
Explain why a group of organisms that is separated from the rest of its species can evolve different traits.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mule
What do you think about the rabbits' lungs?
http://edhelper.com/ReadingComprehension_54_29.html
I think that it won't be larger because the are going back to sea level, am I right?
I agree.
Thank you:D (:)
You're welcome.
To determine if horses and donkeys belong to the same species, we can first consider the definition of a species. A species is generally defined as a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
In the case of horses and donkeys, they can mate with each other and produce offspring called mules. However, mules are typically infertile and cannot produce their own offspring. This indicates that while horses and donkeys can hybridize, their genetic differences prevent them from successfully reproducing and establishing a stable population.
Therefore, based on the definition of a species and the reproductive barrier between horses and donkeys, we can conclude that horses and donkeys do not belong to the same species. They are considered separate species that share enough similarities to produce viable offspring, but their genetic differences hinder them from producing fertile offspring.
Regarding the scenario with rabbits, it's important to understand that genetic traits are typically inherited from parent to offspring through a combination of genes. In this case, the rabbits that were moved to the mountains adapted to their new environment over time by developing larger lungs to thrive in the thin mountain air. This adaptation occurred due to natural selection favoring individuals with larger lungs, enabling them to better survive and reproduce in the mountainous region.
However, when these rabbits are returned to sea level, the environmental pressure favoring larger lungs is no longer present. As a result, the offspring of these rabbits will likely inherit the genetic traits of their parents without undergoing any significant changes. They are more likely to resemble typical sea-level rabbits, as there is no selective pressure to maintain larger lungs in that environment.
Furthermore, the genetic changes observed in the parent rabbits due to their adaptation to the mountains occurred within their lifetime, through a process called phenotypic plasticity. These changes are not passed on genetically to the offspring but rather reflect modifications in gene expression in response to the environment.
Lastly, the reason why a group of organisms that is separated from the rest of its species can evolve different traits is due to the process known as speciation. When a portion of a species becomes isolated from the rest, they may encounter different environmental conditions, selective pressures, and genetic drift. Over time, these factors can lead to the accumulation of genetic variations, resulting in the development of distinct traits and potentially the formation of a new species. This process is known as adaptive radiation.