Among a population of lizards inhabiting an arid habitat, the skin color is controlled by two alleles-B (brown skin color) that is dominant over b (green skin color). The green lizards comprise only 4 percent of the population whereas the brown lizards comprise the rest. Over a long period of time, increased rainfall in the area leads to transformation of the habitat, with growth of shrubs and small trees. The brown and green lizard numbers almost reverse with the green lizards approaching 81 percent of the total population. Calculate the allele frequency for the green skin color before and after the climate change occurred. Why did the brown lizard, which initially had greater relative fitness than the green lizard, reduce in number drastically?
(1 point)
2, 9, because relative fitness is dependent on environmental conditions
0.2, 0.9; because relative fitness is dependent on environmental conditions
0.2, 0.9 because the green lizard population acquired new adaptations that caused them to increase in number
0.4, 0.81; because the green lizard population acquired new adaptations that caused them to increase in number
The allele frequency for the green skin color before the climate change occurred would be 0.2, and after the climate change, it would be 0.81.
The reason why the brown lizard, which initially had greater relative fitness than the green lizard, reduced in number drastically is because the environmental conditions changed due to increased rainfall and growth of shrubs and small trees, which favored the green lizard population. This allowed the green lizard population to acquire new adaptations that helped them thrive in the changed habitat and increase in number, resulting in a decrease in the brown lizard population.