Refer to the Figure

question 15

Essay

Refer to the figure.

- You are studying a remote island before and after a volcanic eruption. Data at Time 1 were collected one month before the eruption, and data at Time 2 were collected one month after the eruption. All of the species on the island are endemic. The island is 100 km across. Each animal icon represents 20 individuals. Species A and B (the two snail species) generally move a distance of only 2 m a day. Species C (the bird) often covers 20 km a day in search of food. After the eruption, the lava flow hardens, and the island is divided by a 20-km strip of bare rock with few if any resources these animals need to survive. Deaths of individuals due to the volcanic eruption could change the frequency of alleles in these very small island populations. Unfortunately, however, you do not have data on the allele frequencies before and after the eruption for any of these species. Based on your understanding of genetic change in populations, do you expect that these three species would be affected by increased genetic drift after the eruption? Why or why not?

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Definitions:

Calcitonin

A hormone produced by the thyroid gland that helps regulate blood calcium levels by lowering them when they are high.

Osteomyelitis

An infection in the bone, often caused by bacteria, that can lead to inflammation, pain, and sometimes bone destruction.

Bacterial Infection

A pathological condition resulting from the invasion and multiplication of bacteria in body tissues, causing disease.

Collagen Development

The process by which collagen, a key protein that provides structure and strength to connective tissues, is synthesized and arranged in the body.