Question
A scientist observes a population of cheetahs on the plains in southern Africa and noticed that cheetahs have very little genetic variation. The scientists claim that the cheetahs are susceptible to extinction as a result of climate change. What is the name of the effect the scientist observed and why is it a concern?(1 point)
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
Disaster effect, because the cheetahs have mutated to produce ineffective proteins
Disaster effect, because the cheetahs have mutated to produce ineffective proteins
Substitution mutation, because these mutations cannot be passed to offspring
Bottleneck effect, because environmental stresses affecting one cheetah could affect them all.
The bottleneck effect is a genetic phenomenon that occurs when a large population is drastically reduced in size, resulting in a limited gene pool and reduced genetic variation. This makes the population more vulnerable to environmental changes and increases the risk of extinction. In this case, the scientist observed that the cheetahs have very little genetic variation, indicating a bottleneck effect. This is a concern because if the climate changes in a way that negatively impacts the cheetahs, such as causing a decrease in suitable habitat or a decrease in prey availability, all individuals in the population are likely to be affected and may not have the genetic diversity required to adapt and survive.