Question

question 18 of 20 > refer to the table. individuals of populations of a taxon of mice are collected from various locations at 10 - km distance intervals. they are brought back to the lab where mice from different populations are mated. the percentage of crosses that are successful is recorded for each population, along with the percentage of offspring that are fertile from each cross. the data are shown in the table. which statement about the data shown is most accurate? the extent of prezygotic isolation increases roughly linearly with increasing geographic distance, but postzygotic isolation does not change with distance. prezygotic and postzygotic isolation are decreasing at about the same rate with increasing geographic distance. the extent of postzygotic isolation increases roughly linearly with increasing geographic distance, but prezygotic isolation does not change with distance. the extent of prezygotic isolation decreases roughly linearly with increasing geographic distance, but postzygotic isolation does not change with distance. prezygotic and postzygotic isolation are increasing at about the same rate with increasing geographic distance.

Explanation:

Prezygotic isolation is related to the success of crosses (first - column data), and postzygotic isolation is related to the fertility of offspring from successful crosses (second - column data). As the distance increases, the percentage of successful crosses (prezygotic isolation factor) decreases roughly linearly (from 80 at 0 km to 43 at 40 km), and the percentage of fertile offspring from successful crosses (postzygotic isolation factor) also decreases roughly linearly (from 95 at 0 km to 61 at 40 km). So prezygotic and postzygotic isolation are increasing at about the same rate with increasing geographic distance as lower success and lower fertility mean more isolation.

Answer:

Prezygotic and postzygotic isolation are increasing at about the same rate with increasing geographic distance.