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Applying Hardy-Weinberg to Rock Pocket Mouse Field Data

  • Page ID
    19913
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    Dr. Nachman and his colleagues collected rock pocket mice across 35 kilometers of Arizona Sonoran Desert, which include both dark, rocky lava patches and light, rocky granite areas. They recorded substrate color and coat-color frequencies for six locations. The data is summarized in the table below.

    Mice.png

    Collecting Site Substrate Color Number of Mice Phenotype
    Light Dark
    1 Light 6 6 0
    2 Light 85 80 5
    3 Dark 7 0 7
    4 Dark 5 0 5
    5 Dark 45 3 42
    6 Light 77 34 43

    1. Calculate the frequency of light colored mice and dark colored mice found on light substrates.

    Frequency = number of mice of one color / total number of mice on that substrate

    Frequency of light colored mice = ______________ | Frequence of dark colored mice _______

    2. Calculate the frequency of light colored mice and dark colored mice found on dark substrates.

    Frequency of light colored mice = ______________ | Frequence of dark colored mice _______

    3. Use the Hardy-Weinberg equation, complete the table. (Show work!) p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1 and p + q = 1

    Light Substrate

    Dark Substrate

    Frequency of dd (q2)

    Frequency of DD (p2)

    Frequency of Dd (2pq)

    4. Show a punnett square of two heterozygous mice crossed.
    How many of the offspring are expected to be DD__________ Dd _______ dd_________
    How does this percentage compare to the percentages observed using the Hardy-Weinberg equation?

    5. How can the Hardy-Weinberg equation be used to show that a population is evolving?

    6. Which fur color has the greatest advantage on each substrate?

    7. Some people suggest that evolution is a process that occurs in other animals but not humans. Suggest a way that you could use the Hardy-Weinberg equation to show that humans also evolve?


    This page titled Applying Hardy-Weinberg to Rock Pocket Mouse Field Data is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Shannan Muskopf (Biology Corner) .

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