Story of the Rock Pocket Mouse

There are two main environments in the American Southwest that Rock Pocket Mice live on - golden desert and black lava rock.

• True

• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

When did lava flows take place in the Valley of Fire?

• 1 million years ago-everyone knows that evolution takes a really long time.

• Just 1000 years ago--populations can change really fast!

• 10 years ago

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

What SELECTION PRESSURES are acting on the rock pocket mice in the Valley of Fire? 

• Visual predators like owls or coyotes

• An environment of golden sand or black rock

• Both visual predators and the surface color of the environment

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

On golden sand, light fur is a ________ trait for the rock pocket mouse.

• adaptive

• non-adaptive

• neutral (neither helpful nor harmful)

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

On black lava, light fur is a ________ trait for the rock pocket mouse.

• adaptive

• non-adaptive

• neutral (neither helpful nor harmful)

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Which visual shows the distribution of fur color traits you would expect BEFORE the lava?

• A

  Dark fur would be most common, but there could be a few mutations.

• B

  Golden would be most common, but there could be a few mutations.

• C

  Dark fur would be growing more common, and light fur would be growing less common.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Which histogram shows the distribution of traits you would expect BEFORE the lava?

• A

  There would be a variety of colors, with white the most common.

• B

  Golden would be most common, but there could be a few mutations.

• C

  There would be a random mix of fur colors.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Which visual shows the distribution of fur color traits you would expect JUST AFTER the lava?

• A

  Dark fur would be most common, but there could be a few mutations.

• B

  Golden would still be most common, but there could be a few mutations.

• C

  Dark fur would be growing more common, and light fur would be growing less common.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Which histogram shows the distribution of traits you would expect JUST AFTER the lava?

• A

  There would be a variety of colors, with dark or black as the most common.

• B

  Medium brown or gray fur color would be the most common.

• C

  Golden would still be most common, but there could be a few mutations.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Where did the black fur trait come from?

• a random change to a gene for fur color called Mc1r

• the mice changed themselves in order to survive

• parent mice passed on helpful traits to their offspring

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4