3.1. State one characteristic of the deer mouse which allows it to avoid predators. (1)
3.2. Using natural selection, explain how the inheritance of light coloured fur allele allowed the deer mice to survive in the light sand dunes. (6)
3.3. Tabulate two differences between Lamarck's and Darwin's theories. (5)
Answer (2)
3.1. Characteristic of the Deer Mouse to Avoid Predators: One characteristic that allows the deer mouse to avoid predators is its ability to change its coat color to blend in with its surroundings, providing effective camouflage against predators.
3.2. Natural Selection and Light Coloured Fur Allele: Natural selection is a process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. The inheritance of the light-colored fur allele in deer mice can be explained by this process:
Variation : Within a population of deer mice, there is genetic variation, which includes different fur colors.
Environmental Influence : Deer mice living in light sand dunes are exposed to a specific environment where light-colored sand is predominant.
Survival Advantage : Mice with lighter fur have a survival advantage because their fur provides better camouflage against the sandy background, making them less visible to predators.
Reproduction : Those with the advantageous light-colored fur will have a higher chance of survival and are more likely to reproduce and pass on the light-colored allele to their offspring.
Increased Frequency : Over generations, the frequency of the light-colored fur allele increases in the population because those alleles are being passed down more frequently than the darker fur alleles.
Adaptation : Eventually, the population of deer mice becomes predominantly light-colored fur, as this trait becomes an adaptation to the sandy environment, contributing to their overall survival.
3.3. Differences Between Lamarck's and Darwin's Theories:
Lamarck's Theory
Darwin's Theory
Inheritance of acquired traitsNatural selectionOrganisms change during their lifetimeVariation exists naturally within a populationChanges during life are passed to offspringOnly the fittest individuals reproduce successfullyDriven by internal desiresDriven by environmental pressures
These points highlight the essential differences between the two theories of evolution.
The deer mouse avoids predators through its camouflage coloration that helps it blend into its environment. Natural selection favors light-colored fur in sandy habitats, allowing those mice to survive and reproduce more, passing on beneficial traits. Lamarck's theory suggests inheritance of acquired traits, while Darwin's theory relies on natural selection and existing variations within populations.
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