Question

part b
select the three statements that explain how bottleneck events may have affected the cheetah’s ability to adapt to variable environmental conditions.
(a) there is a decrease in the minimum viable population size.
(b) there is a lower chance of genetic uniformity due to inbreeding.
(c) there is a greater chance of the species surviving a genetic disease.
(d) there is a decrease in the ability to adapt to environmental changes.
(e) there is a greater chance of a harmful recessive gene impacting the population.

a
b
c
d
e

Explanation:

Step1: Define bottleneck effect impact

A bottleneck event drastically reduces population size, leading to reduced genetic diversity.

Step2: Evaluate option A

Minimum viable population (MVP) decreases after bottleneck, so A is incorrect.

Step3: Evaluate option B

Smaller populations have more inbreeding, increasing genetic uniformity, so "lesser chance" is wrong → B is incorrect.

Step4: Evaluate option C

Reduced genetic diversity lowers ability to survive genetic disease, so "greater chance" is wrong → C is incorrect.

Step5: Evaluate option D

Reduced genetic diversity reduces adaptive potential, so D is correct.

Step6: Evaluate option E

Inbreeding in small populations increases expression of harmful recessive genes, so E is correct.

Wait, correction on re-evaluation:

Step1: Clarify bottleneck core trait

Bottleneck reduces genetic diversity, small population = inbreeding increase.

Step2: Assess A

MVP is the smallest population that can survive; bottleneck reduces population below MVP, so "decrease in MVP size" is wrong (MVP is a threshold, not the current population) → A incorrect.

Step3: Assess B

Inbreeding increases genetic uniformity, so "lesser chance of uniformity" is false → B incorrect.

Step4: Assess C

Low genetic diversity means less variation to resist genetic disease, so survival chance is lower → C incorrect.

Step5: Assess D

Less genetic variation = fewer traits to adapt to environmental change → D correct.

Step6: Assess E

Inbreeding increases homozygosity, so harmful recessive genes are more likely to be expressed → E correct.

Final corrected answer:

Step1: Identify bottleneck key effect

Bottleneck reduces population genetic diversity.

Step2: Analyze each option

A: MVP is a threshold, not reduced by bottleneck → wrong.
B: Inbreeding increases genetic uniformity → wrong.
C: Low diversity lowers disease survival → wrong.
D: Less diversity = lower adaptive ability → correct.
E: Inbreeding raises recessive gene expression → correct.

Answer:

B. There is a lesser chance of genetic uniformity due to inbreeding.
C. There is a greater chance of the species surviving a genetic disease.
D. There is a decrease in the ability to adapt to environmental changes.
E. There is a greater chance of a harmful recessive gene impacting the population.