Textbook Question
True or false? Gene flow can either increase or decrease the average fitness of a population. Explain.
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Ch. 23 - Evolutionary Processes
Freeman7th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9783584863285
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - Biology: The Study of Life11
- Ch. 2 - Water and Carbon: The Chemical Basis of Life10
- Ch.3 - Protein Structure and Function11
- Ch.4 - Nucleic Acids and the RNA World10
- Ch. 5 - An Introduction to Carbohydrates10
- Ch. 6 - Lipids, Membranes, and the First Cells10
- Ch. 7 - Inside the Cell10
- Ch. 8 - Energy and Enzymes: An Introduction to Metabolism10
- Ch. 9 - Cellular Respiration and Fermentation16
- Ch. 10 - Photosynthesis14
- Ch. 11 - Cell-Cell Interactions14
- Ch. 12 - The Cell Cycle12
- Ch. 13 - Meiosis13
- Ch. 14 - Mendel and the Gene32
- Ch. 15 - DNA and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair8
- Ch. 16 - How Genes Work35
- Ch. 17 - Transcription, RNA Processing, and Translation16
- Ch. 18 - Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria19
- Ch. 19 - Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes17
- Ch. 20 - The Molecular Revolution: Biotechnology, Genomics, and New Frontiers23
- Ch. 21 - Genes, Development, and Evolution13
- Ch. 22 - Evolution by Natural Selection17
- Ch. 23 - Evolutionary Processes13
- Ch. 24 - Speciation15
- Ch. 25 - Phylogenies and the History of Life13
- Ch. 26 - Bacteria and Archaea17
- Ch. 27 - Diversification of Eukaryotes19
- Ch. 28 - Green Algae and Land Plants18
- Ch. 29 - Fungi19
- Ch. 30 - An Introduction to Animals9
- Ch. 31 - Protostome Animals20
- Ch. 32 - Deuterostome Animals19
- Ch. 33 - Viruses16
- Ch. 34 - Plant Form and Function16
- Ch. 35 - Water and Sugar Transport in Plants16
- Ch. 36 - Plant Nutrition13
- Ch. 37 - Plant Sensory Systems, Signals, and Responses16
- Ch. 38 - Flowering Plant Reproduction and Development16
- Ch. 39 - Animal Form and Function16
- Ch. 40 - Water and Electrolyte Balance in Animals16
- Ch. 41 - Animal Nutrition16
- Ch. 42 - Gas Exchange and Circulation16
- Ch. 43 - Animal Nervous Systems16
- Ch. 44 - Animal Sensory Systems16
- Ch. 45 - Animal Movement11
- Ch. 46 - Chemical Signals in Animals16
- Ch. 47 - Animal Reproduction and Development18
- Ch. 48 - The Immune System in Animals16
- Ch. 49 - An Introduction to Ecology16
- Ch. 50 - Behavioral Ecology16
- Ch. 51 - Population Ecology16
- Ch. 52 - Community Ecology20
- Ch. 53 - Ecosystems and Global Ecology16
- Ch. 54 - Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology16
Chapter 23, Problem 7
Determine what is incorrect in the following statement: Red deer mutated their genes so that they could have larger antlers to compete for mates.
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the misconception about genetic mutations: Understand that mutations are random changes in the DNA sequence, which are not directed or intentional responses to environmental pressures.
Clarify the role of natural selection: Explain that while mutations are random, natural selection can favor certain traits, such as larger antlers in red deer, if they provide a reproductive advantage in a given environment.
Discuss the concept of adaptation: Highlight that over time, traits that enhance survival and reproductive success may become more common in the population due to natural selection acting on the variation produced by mutations.
Explain the incorrect use of 'mutated their genes': Emphasize that the phrase suggests an intentional change by the deer, which is a misunderstanding of how evolutionary processes work.
Correct the statement: Suggest a more accurate way to express the idea, such as 'Red deer may have developed larger antlers over generations through the process of mutation and natural selection, which provided a reproductive advantage in competing for mates.'
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Mutation and Natural Selection
Mutation refers to changes in the DNA sequence of an organism's genome. While mutations can lead to new traits, they occur randomly and are not directed by the organism's needs. Natural selection then acts on these mutations, favoring traits that enhance survival and reproduction, such as larger antlers in red deer, but the process is not a conscious effort by the animals.
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Natural Selection
Phenotypic Variation
Phenotypic variation is the observable differences in traits among individuals of a species, which can arise from genetic differences and environmental influences. In red deer, variations in antler size can result from genetic factors, but they are not a direct result of intentional genetic changes made by the deer themselves.
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06:36Genotype & Phenotype
Evolutionary Adaptation
Evolutionary adaptation is the process through which species undergo changes over generations to better fit their environment. This occurs through mechanisms like natural selection, where advantageous traits become more common in a population. The statement incorrectly implies that red deer actively mutated their genes, rather than suggesting that larger antlers evolved over time as a result of selective pressures.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
In a population of 2500, how many babies would you expect to have cystic fibrosis, a homozygous recessive condition, if the frequency of the dominant allele is 0.9 and the population is at Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium?
a. 0.9 × 2500 = 2250
b. 2 × 0.9 × 0.1 × 2500 = 450
c. 0.9 × 0.1 × 2500 = 225
d. 0.1 x 0.1 x 2500 = 25
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Textbook Question
In the 1700s and 1800s, royalty in Europe often married their close relatives; furthermore, recessive genetic diseases such as hemophilia showed up much more often among royals than in the general population. Explain the likely connection.
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Textbook Question
Determine what is incorrect in the following statement: Deer mice living on beaches mutated their genes so that they could have white fur color, providing better camouflage to survive on beaches.
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Textbook Question
Draw a small concept map showing how selection, genetic drift, gene flow, and mutation relate to genetic variation.
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Textbook Question
In humans, albinism is caused by loss-of-function mutations in genes involved in the synthesis of melanin, the dark pigment in skin. Only people homozygous for a loss-of-function allele (genotype aa) have the albino phenotype. In Americans of northern European ancestry, albino individuals are present at a frequency of about 1 in 10,000 (or 0.0001). Assuming that genotypes are in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, what is the predicted frequency of Caucasians in the United States who carry a single allele for albinism?
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