Pronghorn Antelopes Are Well Adapted for Dry Conditions with Extremes

question 59

Multiple Choice

Pronghorn antelopes are well adapted for dry conditions with extremes of temperature, especially cold. As global climate change causes the region where the pronghorns live to change, in temperature as well as plant, predator, and prey diversity and abundance, what is likely to happen to the pronghorns?

• A) They will learn to eat whatever plants exist in their area and escape from any new predators that arrive.
• B) If the pronghorn population includes genetic variation that allows survival and reproduction in the new conditions, they will adapt.
• C) If climate change is not too rapid, the pronghorn can produce new traits needed to survive and reproduce in the changed conditions.
• D) Because pronghorns will need to be cooler, their fur will become thinner.

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Definitions:

Nitrogenous Base

An organic molecule that makes up the building blocks of nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, including adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil.

Nucleic Acids

Complex organic substances that constitute the genetic material of living cells; DNA and RNA.

Nitrogen

A chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7, essential for all living organisms as it makes up a part of all proteins and nucleic acids.

DNA Polymerase

An enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of DNA molecules from deoxyribonucleotides, the building blocks of DNA.