Global Warming Has Led to Less Snow Cover in Some

question 23

Multiple Choice

Global warming has led to less snow cover in some areas. Snow cover provides insulation for some burrowing, hibernating animals. In a population of rodents, some animals have slightly thicker fur, and animals with this trait are more likely to survive the winters with low snow cover and thus produce offspring in the spring. There are different versions of the gene that codes for fur thickness, one of which codes for thicker fur and another that codes for thinner fur. In 1995, about 50 percent of the animals had thicker fur, and the other 50 percent had thinner fur. In the spring of 2012, after several years of low snow cover, 70 percent of the population had thicker fur, while only 30 percent had thinner fur. This change in the population is an example of

• A) an adaptation.
• B) evolution.
• C) natural selection.
• D) homology.

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Definitions:

Equal Chance

This term means having the same probability or likelihood of occurring as another event, situation, or outcome.

Statistically Significant

A term indicating that the likelihood of an observed difference or relationship happening by chance is low, typically below a pre-set threshold of probability.

P-value

A statistical measure indicating the probability that the observed data would occur by chance if the null hypothesis were true.

Inferential Statistics

Statistical methods that allow conclusions to be drawn about populations based on sample data.