Question

1. watch the biointeractive short film the making of the fittest: natural selection and adaptation. as you watch, think about the following: - why are some mice light colored and some mice dark colored? - does fur color provide any selective advantage or disadvantage? - what role does the rock pocket mouse play in the desert food web? - what explains the differences among the four illustrations? is there anything that confirms or contradicts the order in which you arranged the illustrations? 5. using what you learned by watching the film, confirm or change the order in which you arranged the illustrations. once you are satisfied that the order is correct, fill out the data table below using the counts you recorded for the illustrations. number of mice at different locations chart: illustration order (oldest, second oldest, third oldest, most recent) with location a (# of light colored mice, # of dark colored mice) and location b (# of light colored mice, # of dark colored mice) rows

Explanation:

To solve this, we follow these steps:

Step 1: Watch the Film

View The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation to gather information on mouse fur color, natural selection, and the desert food web.

Step 2: Analyze Mouse Coloration

• Why light/dark mice? Genetic variation (e.g., mutations) and natural selection. Light mice may be adapted to light environments (e.g., sandy deserts), dark mice to dark environments (e.g., lava rock areas).
• Selective advantage? Fur color camouflages mice from predators (e.g., owls). Light fur in light habitats or dark fur in dark habitats reduces predation, increasing survival/reproduction.

Step 3: Rock Pocket Mouse’s Role

In the desert food web, rock pocket mice are prey (eaten by owls, snakes) and herbivores (eat desert plants/seeds), influencing plant populations and predator-prey dynamics.

Step 4: Analyze Illustrations

• Differences? Likely show changes in mouse fur color over time (evolution) due to environmental change (e.g., lava flow creating dark habitats).
• Confirm order? Arrange by environmental change (oldest: light habitat, few dark mice; most recent: dark habitat, many dark mice). Film data (e.g., mutation frequency, predation rates) confirms this (e.g., dark mice increase in dark habitats over time).

Step 5: Refine Illustration Order & Fill Table

Use film insights to confirm/change illustration order. For the table:

• Location A (e.g., light habitat): Oldest/second oldest: more light mice, few dark. Third oldest/most recent: still more light (if habitat remains light).
• Location B (e.g., dark habitat): Oldest: few dark mice. Second oldest/third oldest/most recent: increasing dark mice (as environment darkens, natural selection favors dark fur).

Example Table (Hypothetical Data):

Location	Mouse Type	Oldest	Second Oldest	Third Oldest	Most Recent
A	Dark Colored	1	2	3	4
B	Light Colored	8	6	4	2
B	Dark Colored	2	4	6	8

(Note: Actual counts depend on film illustrations and environmental context. Use film data to fill accurately.)

Answer:

To solve this, we follow these steps:

Step 1: Watch the Film

View The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation to gather information on mouse fur color, natural selection, and the desert food web.

Step 2: Analyze Mouse Coloration

• Why light/dark mice? Genetic variation (e.g., mutations) and natural selection. Light mice may be adapted to light environments (e.g., sandy deserts), dark mice to dark environments (e.g., lava rock areas).
• Selective advantage? Fur color camouflages mice from predators (e.g., owls). Light fur in light habitats or dark fur in dark habitats reduces predation, increasing survival/reproduction.

Step 3: Rock Pocket Mouse’s Role

In the desert food web, rock pocket mice are prey (eaten by owls, snakes) and herbivores (eat desert plants/seeds), influencing plant populations and predator-prey dynamics.

Step 4: Analyze Illustrations

• Differences? Likely show changes in mouse fur color over time (evolution) due to environmental change (e.g., lava flow creating dark habitats).
• Confirm order? Arrange by environmental change (oldest: light habitat, few dark mice; most recent: dark habitat, many dark mice). Film data (e.g., mutation frequency, predation rates) confirms this (e.g., dark mice increase in dark habitats over time).

Step 5: Refine Illustration Order & Fill Table

Use film insights to confirm/change illustration order. For the table:

• Location A (e.g., light habitat): Oldest/second oldest: more light mice, few dark. Third oldest/most recent: still more light (if habitat remains light).
• Location B (e.g., dark habitat): Oldest: few dark mice. Second oldest/third oldest/most recent: increasing dark mice (as environment darkens, natural selection favors dark fur).

Example Table (Hypothetical Data):

Location	Mouse Type	Oldest	Second Oldest	Third Oldest	Most Recent
A	Dark Colored	1	2	3	4
B	Light Colored	8	6	4	2
B	Dark Colored	2	4	6	8

(Note: Actual counts depend on film illustrations and environmental context. Use film data to fill accurately.)