Bio Homework 46: Genetic Variation in Bighorn Sheep

Front

What is genetic variation?

Back

Genetic variation refers to the differences in DNA sequences among individuals within a population, which can lead to different traits.

Front

How does coat color affect bighorn sheep survival?

Back

Coat color can influence a sheep's ability to blend into its environment, affecting its visibility to predators and its ability to regulate temperature.

Front

What is natural selection?

Back

Natural selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Front

What is an allele?

Back

An allele is a variant form of a gene that can result in different traits, such as coat color in bighorn sheep.

Front

How can mutations affect allele frequencies?

Back

Mutations can introduce new alleles into a population, potentially increasing or decreasing the frequency of certain traits over time.

Front

What is the significance of camouflage in bighorn sheep?

Back

Camouflage helps bighorn sheep avoid predators by allowing them to blend into their surroundings.

Front

What happens to allele frequencies in changing environments?

Back

In changing environments, natural selection may favor certain alleles that provide a survival advantage, altering their frequencies in the population.

Front

What is the relationship between phenotype and genotype?

Back

Phenotype is the observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism, while genotype is the genetic makeup that determines those traits.

Front

How does a population adapt to a new environment?

Back

A population adapts to a new environment through natural selection, where advantageous traits become more common over generations.

Front

What is the role of environmental factors in natural selection?

Back

Environmental factors, such as climate and predators, influence which traits are advantageous for survival and reproduction.