Question

Most deer mouse populations inhabit regions with dark soils. These deer mice have dark brown fur. Populations of deer mice found in the Sand Hills regions of Nebraska, which has tan colored sand instead of dark soil, have tan fur. Which statement best explains why the Sand Hills population of deer mice have tan fur, rather than the dark brown fur found in other populations of deer mice?

Answer 1

Answer:

Tan fur helps the mice protect themselves from predators

Explanation:

The entrenchment of this phenotype in the population is powered by natural selection pressures. The mice with fur color that enable them to camouflage with their environment are predated less than mice with other fur colors. These tan mice are therefore more likely to survive and pass their genes to the next generation. Through successive generations, the allelic frequency for the tan fur color increases until it is the dominant allele in the population.