Cane toads were introduced to Australia from Central America as a natural form of pest control for beetles harming sugar cane. This was a very serious mistake. The cane toads did not consume the beetles. Instead, they spread and multiplied beyond expectation with catastrophic consequences for local wildlife. Specifically, cane toads are much larger than native wildlife and can reproduce very rapidly. They have deadly poison in glands on their skin. This poison almost instantly kills native snakes who consume them. Many species of snakes are being driven to extinction, as a result. Several interesting effects have been observed. First, cane toad legs have been gradually increasing in size since their introduction to Australia. This has been particularly observed on the edges of the toad population range, which are areas where they are newly invading. Longer legs appear to allow them to jump further and thus invade faster into new territory. Second, local snakes are longer than before the cane toad invasion. This is especially observed in the center of the toad population range where toad density is highest. While longer body length itself is not an advantage, it is correlated to mouth size. Longer snakes have smaller mouths. Smaller mouths mean they eat smaller native prey rather than the larger and poisonous cane toad. Edge of Cane Toad Population Range Center of Cane Toad Population Range
Cane toads were introduced to Australia from Central America as a natural form of pest control for beetles harming sugar cane. This was a very serious mistake. The cane toads did not consume the beetles. Instead, they spread and multiplied beyond expectation with catastrophic consequences for local wildlife. Specifically, cane toads are much larger than native wildlife and can reproduce very rapidly. They have deadly poison in glands on their skin. This poison almost instantly kills native snakes who consume them. Many species of snakes are being driven to extinction, as a result. Several interesting effects have been observed. First, cane toad legs have been gradually increasing in size since their introduction to Australia. This has been particularly observed on the edges of the toad population range, which are areas where they are newly invading. Longer legs appear to allow them to jump further and thus invade faster into new territory. Second, local snakes are longer than before the cane toad invasion. This is especially observed in the center of the toad population range where toad density is highest. While longer body length itself is not an advantage, it is correlated to mouth size. Longer snakes have smaller mouths. Smaller mouths mean they eat smaller native prey rather than the larger and poisonous cane toad. Edge of Cane Toad Population Range Center of Cane Toad Population Range
Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)
11th Edition
ISBN:9780134580999
Author:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
Publisher:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
Chapter1: The Human Body: An Orientation
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1RQ: The correct sequence of levels forming the structural hierarchy is A. (a) organ, organ system,...
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Genetic Variation
Genetic variation refers to the variation in the genome sequences between individual organisms of a species. Individual differences or population differences can both be referred to as genetic variations. It is primarily caused by mutation, but other factors such as genetic drift and sexual reproduction also play a major role.
Quantitative Genetics
Quantitative genetics is the part of genetics that deals with the continuous trait, where the expression of various genes influences the phenotypes. Thus genes are expressed together to produce a trait with continuous variability. This is unlike the classical traits or qualitative traits, where each trait is controlled by the expression of a single or very few genes to produce a discontinuous variation.
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Transcribed Image Text:Cane toads were introduced to Australia from Central America as a natural form of pest control for beetles harming sugar
cane. This was a very serious mistake. The cane toads did not consume the beetles. Instead, they spread and multiplied
beyond expectation with catastrophic consequences for local wildlife. Specifically, cane toads are much larger than
native wildlife and can reproduce very rapidly. They have deadly poison in glands on their skin. This poison almost
instantly kills native snakes who consume them. Many species of snakes are being driven to extinction, as a result.
Several interesting effects have been observed. First, cane toad legs have been gradually increasing in size since their
introduction to Australia. This has been particularly observed on the edges of the toad population range, which are areas
where they are newly invading. Longer legs appear to allow them to jump further and thus invade faster into new territory.
Second, local snakes are longer than before the cane toad invasion. This is especially observed in the center of the toad
population range where toad density is highest. While longer body length itself is not an advantage, it is correlated to
mouth size. Longer snakes have smaller mouths. Smaller mouths mean they eat smaller native prey rather than the larger
and poisonous cane toad.
Edge of Cane Toad
Population Range
Center of Cane Toad
Population Range
SW-
E
Time
O
Transcribed Image Text:Consider the graph shown. The left bar in this bar graph is a measure of: Please choose the best option.
Measurement
(after 10 years of pest
control efforts against
sugar cane beetles)
Center
Edge
Location within the population range
Cane toad leg length
Snake body length
Snake population size (number of individuals)
Beetle population size (number of individuals)
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