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.
put it under 200 words
The mutation causing a fox to have white fur in the arctic environment would be classified as a beneficial mutation. In this snowy landscape, white fur would provide the fox with better camouflage, making it more difficult for predators like eagles, wolves, and polar bears to spot it as it hunts for rodents and small mammals. This increased camouflage would therefore increase the fox's chances of survival, as it would be able to better blend in with its surroundings and avoid being detected by predators. In evolutionary terms, having white fur would give the mutant fox a competitive advantage over those with brown fur, allowing it to pass on its genes more successfully and increasing the likelihood of its survival and reproduction in this harsh environment. Therefore, the mutation causing white fur in the arctic fox would be considered beneficial and advantageous for the survival of the species.
make it a bit shorter
The mutation causing white fur in the arctic fox would be classified as a beneficial mutation. In the snowy landscape, white fur provides better camouflage, making it harder for predators to spot the fox as it hunts for prey. This increased camouflage gives the fox a competitive advantage, increasing its chances of survival and reproduction in the harsh environment. Overall, the mutation would make the fox more likely to survive.
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.
make it a bit short
The average weight of Breed A is 9 pounds and Breed B is 12 pounds. Factors contributing to weight variation within breeds could include genetics, diet, exercise, and overall health. To track and find the growth rate of the two rabbit breeds during an investigation, you would need to record weight data regularly over time, calculate the change in weight between measurements, and then determine the average growth rate by dividing the total weight gain by the number of days or weeks between measurements.
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
Week | Plant Group A (Average Height in cm) | Plant group B (Average height in cm) |
1 | 2 3
2 | 3 6
3 | 5 8
4 | 7 10
5 | 8 14
6 | 10 18
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.