Question

question 15 of 25
island foxes are small mammals that live on an island off the coast of
california. testing has shown that they are all nearly genetically identical.
how is the population of island foxes likely to be affected by significant
changes to the environment?
a. environmental changes are likely to stabilize the population size
by selecting against foxes that are less suited to the new
environment.
b. environmental changes are likely to increase the population size
because natural selection will make the foxes better suited to the
new environment.
c. environmental changes are likely to wipe out the population
because it lacks genetic variation for natural selection to act on.
d. environmental changes are likely to help the population adapt to
the new environment by increasing genetic variation through
natural selection.

Explanation:

Genetic variation is crucial for natural selection. Since the foxes are nearly genetically identical (low variation), they can't adapt well to environmental changes. Natural selection needs variation to select advantageous traits. Without it, the population can't evolve in response to new environmental conditions, increasing the risk of extinction. Options A and B assume the ability to adapt (which is limited due to low variation). Option D is incorrect as there's no mechanism shown for increasing genetic variation in the given scenario.

Answer:

C. Environmental changes are likely to wipe out the population because it lacks genetic variation for natural selection to act on.