Cellular Energetics
In a population of beetles, which coloration would be favored by natural selection if birds are more likely to prey on brightly colored individuals?
Dull brown that blends into the bark of trees where they live.
Vivid red that contrasts with green leaves.
Shiny yellow that reflects sunlight prominently.
Bright green that stands out against brown tree bark.
If a mutation arises that allows some individuals within an environment subject itself through drastic seasonal temperature changes, how might this mutation influence fitness?
Individuals with the mutation may show increased fitness during extreme temperatures but decreased overall adaptability.
Mutations causing improved temperature tolerance are neutral since other factors dictate survival more strongly.
The mutation could lead to no significant change in fitness if the environment remains predictable and stable periodically over years.
Those without the mutation might experience decreased fitness due to less effective temperature regulation mechanisms.
Considering an ecosystem with limited resources, what could be the effect on individual organisms carrying an allele that allows for better nutrient absorption efficiency?
These organisms might outcompete others for resources, potentially increasing their representation within the gene pool over time.
They might exhaust resources faster and suffer from diminished returns on investment into reproduction versus survival strategies.
Better nutrient absorption efficiency has no impact on individual fitness since all organisms adapt evenly over generations.
Organisms without this allele could develop alternative strategies rendering any competitive edge negligible over time.
Which of the following processes results in the production of the most ATP per glucose molecule?
Lactic acid fermentation.
Alcoholic fermentation.
Aerobic cellular respiration.
Photosynthesis.
What outcomes might result from interbreeding between closely related individuals within small isolated animal populations?
Interbreeding promotes genetic diversity, thus ensuring the adaptability and survival of the population long-term.
Related individuals tend to produce offspring with strong immune systems, achieving greater overall health.
It increases the probability of inheriting harmful recessive alleles leading to decreased population fitness.
Due to the strengthening effects of inbreeding, they may become more resilient against environmental stressors.
How could genetic drift most likely affect allelic frequencies in a small island population following a hurricane that drastically reduced its size?
Genetic drift cannot occur on an island as populations are too isolated for new alleles to be introduced.
Allelic frequencies may change significantly due to random loss or survival of certain alleles post-disaster.
The hurricane selectively targets specific genotypes, leading to directional selection rather than genetic drift effects.
There would be no significant change because natural selection is more influential than genetic drift.
Which process in cells most directly contributes to an organism's fitness by allowing for the production of proteins that can affect traits?
Cellular respiration
Osmosis
Photosynthesis
Protein synthesis

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What outcome would you expect if a lethal dominant allele conferred high fitness before it caused death in an organism's late stages of life?
Organisms without this allele would eventually outcompete those with it due to longer lifespans.
The allele could spread within the population as organisms reproduce before dying.
Natural selection would quickly eliminate such a deleterious allele from the population.
The allele would remain stable at low frequencies due to heterozygote advantage.
In a pedigree chart, what might the appearance of a trait in each generation suggest about the mode of inheritance for that trait?
Autosomal recessive
Mitochondrial inheritance
Autosomal dominant
Sex-linked dominant
The fitness of an organism is directly related to
How well it can evade predators and hunt
How well it can survive and reproduce in its environment
How well it can adapt to fit its environment
How well it can metabolize organic materials from the environment