Question

1. if a mouses fur color is generally similar to its mothers fur color, which fur color would be the most common among the offspring? _ black _ gray ___ white

a characteristic which is influenced by genes and passed from parents to offspring is called a heritable trait. fur color is a heritable trait for mice. in general, individuals with a heritable trait that increases fitness produce more offspring than individuals that do not have this trait. because the trait is heritable, offspring resemble their parents, so more of the offspring will have this adaptive heritable trait. therefore, over time, adaptive heritable traits tend to become more common in a population. this process is called natural selection.
5a. suppose that one day while the mice were sleeping in their burrows, the gray sand is replaced by white sand. (perhaps the owner of the desert has a plan to attract more tourists.) think about what would happen to the population of mice on the white sand. after a year, which color fur do you think most of the mice would have? _ black _ gray ___ white
5b. explain how the change in the color of the sand could eventually result in a change in the most common fur color in this population of mice.

1. when mice live on gray sand, which color fur is an adaptive heritable trait?

when mice live on white sand, which color fur is an adaptive heritable trait?
notice that which trait is adaptive differs in different environments.

1. what is natural selection? as part of your answer, explain why an adaptive heritable trait tends to become more common in a population.

Explanation:

5a. The white fur would be most common. This is because white fur would provide better camouflage on white sand, increasing the fitness (survival and reproduction chances) of mice with white fur. According to natural selection, heritable traits (like fur color) that increase fitness become more common.
5b. When the sand changes to white, mice with white fur are better camouflaged. They are less likely to be preyed upon, so they survive and reproduce more. Their offspring inherit the white - fur trait. Over time, through natural selection (the process where traits that enhance survival and reproduction become more prevalent), white fur becomes the most common.

1. On gray sand, gray fur is an adaptive heritable trait as it provides camouflage. On white sand, white fur is an adaptive heritable trait for the same reason (camouflage).
2. Natural selection is the process by which heritable traits that increase an organism's fitness (ability to survive and reproduce) become more common in a population over time. An adaptive heritable trait tends to become more common because individuals with that trait are more likely to survive (e.g., better camouflaged, less likely to be eaten) and reproduce. Since the trait is heritable, their offspring inherit it. As more offspring with the adaptive trait are produced, the trait's frequency in the population increases.

Answer:

5a. white
5b. When sand turns white, white - furred mice survive and reproduce more (due to better camouflage), passing the white - fur trait to offspring. Over time, white fur becomes common via natural selection.

1. Gray fur on gray sand; white fur on white sand.
2. Natural selection is the process where heritable traits that boost fitness become more common. Adaptive traits become common as trait - bearers survive/reproduce more, passing the trait to offspring.