Q: Given the background: Some mutations have a positive effect on the organism in which they occur. They are called beneficial mutations . They lead to new versions of proteins that help organisms adapt to changes in their environment. Beneficial mutations are essential for evolution to occur. They increase an organism's changes of surviving or reproducing, so they are likely to become more common over time. There are several well-known examples of beneficial mutations. Here are just two: and the situation: Organisms are constantly exposed to different kinds of radiations. Keith was studying the effect of radiations on a organism in two different locations, place A and place B. He noticed that in place A the the organism had beneficial mutation due to the radiation. On the other hand, in place B, the organism didn't have beneficial mutation. Answer the following question: In place A would the organism more likely or less likely develop proteins to adapt in their habitat than place B?
A: more likely

Question: Given the background: Consider the antlers of the Irish elk, (often supposed to be far too large; in deer antler size has an allometric relationship to body size). Obviously, antlers serve positively for defence against predators, and to score victories in the annual rut. But they are costly in terms of resource. Their size during the last glacial period presumably depended on the relative gain and loss of reproductive capacity in the population of elks during that time. As another example, camouflage to avoid detection is destroyed when vivid coloration is displayed at mating time. Here the risk to life is counterbalanced by the necessity for reproduction.Stream-dwelling salamanders, such as Caucasian salamander or Gold-striped salamander have very slender, long bodies, perfectly adapted to life at the banks of fast small rivers and mountain brooks. Elongated body protects their larvae from being washed out by current. However, elongated body increases risk of desiccation and decreases dispersal ability of the salamanders; it also negatively affects their fecundity. As a result, fire salamander, less perfectly adapted to the mountain brook habitats, is in general more successful, have a higher fecundity and broader geographic range. and the situation: John is a biologist. Last summer, he was studying the evolution of two different salamander species, species A and species B. Species A salamander was Gold-striped salamander while species B salamander was fire salamander. He found it interesting that they took different approaches to adapt to different habitats. Answer the following question: Would species B do better or worse in mountain brooks than species A?
Answer: worse

[Q]: Given the background: Noble gases are also used to fill the glass tubes of lighted signs like the one in the Figure below . Although noble gases are chemically nonreactive, their electrons can be energized by sending an electric current through them. When this happens, the electrons jump to a higher energy level. When the electrons return to their original energy level, they give off energy as light. Different noble gases give off light of different colors. Neon gives off reddish-orange light, like the word "Open" in the sign below. Krypton gives off violet light and xenon gives off blue light. and the situation: John wanted to make some lighted signs for his business. To that end, he chose noble gases, neon, krypton, and xenon. First, he kept the noble gases in containers. He called it step A. Then he passed electric current through them. He called it step B. In the process, he came up with three signs, sign A, sign B, and sign C. Sign A used neon. Sign B used krypton, and sign C used xenon. Answer the following question: Which sign would have blue color, sign C or sign A?
****
[A]: sign C

Question: Given the background: Besides anthropogenic productivity of the land, the biodiversity of degraded land also declines, as previously mentioned.[12] With less biodiversity, this ecosystem is less adaptable to when disasters strike it[11][8] It has a smaller available food supply, in terms of plants, for animals, who then may die out or more likely may relocate. Proof of this decline is that presently 15-20% of Tibetan Plateau species are now considered endangered; and now because of this animal and plant absence, the soil quality of these degraded lands is very poor.[1] It does not hold the necessary nutrients, such as water, nitrogen, and carbon, essential to either supporting life or inviting life back to that land.[6] As a result of such carbon and nitrogen loss in the Tibetan Plateau, $8,033/ha and $13,315/ha were respectively lost in economic terms. Soils are further weakened by dust storms whose frequency increases because of degradation.[11][4] Erosion of soil becomes a bigger problem, since no longer are there as many plants to anchor in the soil. In the northern Chinese province alone, 400 million are affected every year with an associated 54 billion yuan of annual economic loss due to grassland degradation. and the situation: The Gorge saw some negative effects due to deforestation. The Valley has a more fertile soil, it's not overgrazed, and the trees and bushes are abundant, and the productivity has increased several fold over the past decade. Biodiversity in the Valley is varied, and the soils are nutritious and retain more water, nitrogen and carbon. Answer the following question: Which area has a higher anthropogenic productivity?
Answer:
The Valley