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 a harmful, beneficial, or neutral mutation? Would this make the fox more or less likely to survive? Explain your answer. (4 points)
The mutation causing the arctic fox to have white fur instead of brown would be classified as a beneficial mutation. In the snowy arctic environment, having white fur would provide the fox with better camouflage, making it more difficult for predators such as eagles, wolves, and polar bears to spot them against the white snow. This increased camouflage would increase the survival chances of the white fur foxes compared to those with brown fur, as they would be better able to avoid being detected by predators while hunting for food. Therefore, this mutation would be beneficial for the survival of the arctic fox population.
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 of 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 breeds during an investigation. (4 points)
1) The average weight for Breed A would be (10+8+7+10+9+9+10+9)/8 = 8.875 pounds, and for Breed B it would be (10+12+14+13+10+15+11+12)/8 = 12.25 pounds.
2) Some factors that could contribute to the different weights seen within breeds include genetics, diet, exercise, and overall health of the rabbits. Different breeds may have different genetic predispositions to certain sizes or body types, while diet and exercise can also play a significant role in determining weight. Additionally, health conditions or breeding practices could also impact the weight of the rabbits.
3) To track and find the growth rate of the two rabbit breeds during an investigation, you would need to regularly measure and record their weights over a period of time. By comparing the weights at different time points, you can calculate the growth rate by determining how much weight the rabbits gained (or lost) over a specific period. You would plot the weight data on a graph to visualize the growth trends and analyze any patterns or differences between 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. (2 points)
Based on the student's observations in the table, the plants in Group B (grown in containers with 10 cm depth) showed significantly greater plant height, number of leaves, and root length compared to the plants in Group A (grown in containers with 3 cm depth). This suggests that having more root space (deeper containers) had a positive effect on plant growth.
To determine whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors, one would need to conduct further experiments. One way to do this would be to repeat the experiment with different plant varieties but keep all other conditions the same. If the same pattern of increased growth with more root space is observed across different plant varieties, it would suggest that the effect is primarily due to environmental factors (root space). On the other hand, if different plant varieties show varying responses to root space, it may indicate a genetic component influencing plant growth. Additional tests, such as genetic analysis or cross-breeding experiments, could further elucidate the role of genetic factors in plant growth in relation to root space.