input question: I read this background article the other day: Once again, a mutation is the change in the DNA or RNA sequence. In multicellular organisms, mutations can be subdivided into germline mutations and somatic mutations. Germline mutations occur in the DNA of sex cells, or gametes, and are therefore potentially very serious. These mutations can be passed to the next generation. If the zygote contains the mutation, every cell in the resulting organism will have that mutation. If the mutation results in a disease phenotype, the mutation causes what is called a hereditary disease. Somatic mutations , which occur in somatic, or body, cells, cannot be passed to the next generation (offspring). Mutations present in a somatic cell of an organism will be present (by DNA replication and mitosis) in all descendants of that cell. If the mutation is present in a gene that is not used in that cell type, the mutation may have no effect. On the other hand, the mutation may lead to a serious medical condition such as cancer. I am facing a new situation today: The specialists studied two groups of larvae. Group L displayed all kinds of mutations while group D didn't. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which group of larvae had fewer germline mutations????
output answer: group D

input question: I read this background article the other day: Species go extinct constantly as environments change, as organisms compete for environmental niches, and as genetic mutation leads to the rise of new species from older ones. Occasionally biodiversity on Earth takes a hit in the form of a mass extinction in which the extinction rate is much higher than usual. A large extinction-event often represents an accumulation of smaller extinction- events that take place in a relatively brief period of time.The first known mass extinction in earth's history was the Great Oxygenation Event 2.4 billion years ago. That event led to the loss of most of the planet's obligate anaerobes. Researchers have identified five major extinction events in earth's history since: I am facing a new situation today: John was studying the history of dinosaurs. He found that dinosaurs were flourishing before 66 million years ago. He labeled it as era A. Then he found that there was a mass extinction around 66 million years ago. He labeled that time period as era B. John found it interesting that many species have evolved in the course of history. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Would extinction rate be higher or lower in era A than in era B????
output answer: lower

input question: I read this background article the other day: Declines in population size can result in a loss of genetic diversity, and owing to genetic variation's role in the evolutionary potential of a species, this could in turn result in an observable Allee effect. As a species' population becomes smaller, its gene pool will be reduced in size as well. One possible outcome from this genetic bottleneck is a reduction in fitness of the species through the process of genetic drift, as well as inbreeding depression. This overall fitness decrease of a species is caused by an accumulation of deleterious mutations throughout the population. Genetic variation within a species could range from beneficial to detrimental. Nevertheless, in a smaller sized gene pool, there is a higher chance of a stochastic event in which deleterious alleles become fixed (genetic drift). While evolutionary theory states that expressed deleterious alleles should be purged through natural selection, purging would be most efficient only at eliminating alleles that are highly detrimental or harmful. Mildly deleterious alleles such as those that act later in life would be less likely to be removed by natural selection, and conversely, newly acquired beneficial mutations are more likely to be lost by random chance in smaller genetic pools than larger ones.Although the long-term population persistence of several species with low genetic variation has recently prompted debate on the generality of inbreeding depression, there are various empirical evidences for genetic Allee effects. One such case was observed in the endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi). The Florida panther experienced a genetic bottleneck in the early 1990s where the population was reduced to 25 adult individuals. This reduction in genetic diversity was correlated with defects that include lower sperm quality, abnormal testosterone levels, cowlicks, and kinked tails. In response, a genetic rescue plan was put in motion and several female pumas from Texas were introduced into the Florida population. This action quickly led... I am facing a new situation today: Bobby and Will were two friends attending a genetics course. Bobby studied a small, isolated group of mammals. Will studied a large, healthy population of the same species. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which person didn't observe any loss in genetic diversity????
output answer: Will

input question: I read this background article the other day: Another major cause of extinction is global warming , which is also known as global climate change. During the past century, the Earth's average temperature has risen by almost 1C (about 1.3F). You may not think that is significant, but to organisms that live in the wild and are constantly adapting to their environments, any climate change can be hazardous. Recall that burning fossil fuels releases gasses into the atmosphere that warm the Earth. Our increased use of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, is changing the Earth's climate. Any long-term change in the climate can destroy the habitat of a species. Even a brief change in climate may be too stressful for an organism to survive. For example, if the seas increase in temperature, even briefly, it may be too warm for certain types of fish to reproduce. I am facing a new situation today: There are two neighboring planets in another solar system. The people of Mandron use many fossil fuels to power things that require electricity. The people of Liptar have found a way to use water as a source of power and they barely use any fossil fuels at all. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: The habitats of which planet's animals are in more danger????
output answer:
Mandron