Question

non-mendelian genetics: inquiry task
scenario c: polygenic traits in humans
human height is controlled by at least 12000 different genes. peoples heights range from very
short to very tall, with most people in the middle.

• why do you think height shows a range of values instead of just \tall\ or \short\?
• how would a punnett square for a single gene be useless for predicting height?
• what other human traits do you think might be polygenic?

part 3: critical thinking discussion
work with a partner or small group to discuss and answer these questions:

1. challenging mendels model: mendels pea plants showed clear dominant and recessive

traits. why do you think his experiments worked so well, but real-world genetics is often more
complicated?

1. environmental factors: some traits are influenced by both genes and environment. for

example, a person might have genes for tall height but not reach their full potential height due to
poor nutrition. how does this complicate our understanding of inheritance?

1. real-world application: if a genetic counselor is helping a couple understand the risk of

their child having a genetic condition, why would it be important to know whether the condition
follows mendelian or non-mendelian inheritance patterns?

1. prediction problem: two parents both have medium skin tone, but their child has very da

skin. using what you know about non-mendelian genetics, explain how this is possible.

Explanation:

The problem is about non - Mendelian genetics, which falls under the subfield of Biology (a subfield of Natural Science). The questions involve understanding polygenic traits, the complexity of real - world genetics compared to Mendel's experiments, the influence of environment on traits, real - world applications of genetic inheritance knowledge, and prediction problems related to non - Mendelian genetics. Biology (in Natural Science) is the appropriate subfield as it deals with the study of living organisms, including genetic inheritance patterns.

Answer:

The subfield is Biology (under Natural Science).