
Concept explainers
To analyze:
The results of the investigation showing the relationship between gradual and sudden environmental changes on the extinction, evolution, and adaptation of the populations.
Given:
Overuse of drugs has been associated with the significant increase in drug-resistance. In the given experiment, the researchers use a serial transfer for propagating 1,255 population of Escherichia coli in gradually increasing antibiotic (rifampicin) concentration environment.
Figure A shows the increasing rifampicin concentrations which are increased suddenly, gradually and moderately.
In the figure B the results of the experiments depicting the percentage of population surviving the antibiotic conditions are shown.
Introduction:
Extinction of the organisms is by the fact of sudden changes which occur in ecosystem. Sudden changes do not allow the organism to adapt and acclimatize to the environmental conditions. Gradual changes allow the organism to get accustomed to the changes and allow it to adapt accordingly.

Explanation of Solution
The experiment involved the exposure of antibiotic to the bacteria, by two ways one gradual other sudden. Survival population after treatment with different antibiotic concentrations at different rates differed greatly.
It is very much clear from survival population numbers in the graph that a sudden increase leads to the death because of such sudden increase in antibiotic concentration.
In the case of gradual increase the bacteria survived eventually end up becoming antibiotic resistant because of the fact that the gradual increase allowed the bacteria to save and protect itself by acquiring plasmids, point mutations, and genetic recombination.
The less time in sudden increase in antibiotics made the bacterium incapable of genetic exchange and hence the bacterial population decreased in numbers considerably.
The above experiment can explain the adaptation in case of multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) species of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as well as sudden extinction of dinosaurs.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the extinction and loss of organisms is due to sudden change in environmental factors whereas acclimatization is the result of gradual changes in the environmental conditions.
Want to see more full solutions like this?
Chapter 1 Solutions
Life: The Science of Biology
- If using animals in medical experiments could save human lives, is it ethical to do so? In your answer, apply at least one ethical theory in support of your position.arrow_forwardYou aim to test the hypothesis that the Tbx4 and Tbx5 genes inhibit each other's expression during limb development. With access to chicken embryos and viruses capable of overexpressing Tbx4 and Tbx5, describe an experiment to investigate whether these genes suppress each other's expression in the limb buds. What results would you expect if they do repress each other? What results would you expect if they do not repress each other?arrow_forwardYou decide to delete Fgf4 and Fgf8 specifically in the limb bud. Explain why you would not knock out these genes in the entire embryo instead.arrow_forward
- You implant an FGF10-coated bead into the anterior flank of a chicken embryo, directly below the level of the wing bud. What is the phenotype of the resulting ectopic limb? Briefly describe the expected expression domains of 1) Shh, 2) Tbx4, and 3) Tbx5 in the resulting ectopic limb bud.arrow_forwardDesign a grafting experiment to determine if limb mesoderm determines forelimb / hindlimb identity. Include the experiment, a control, and an interpretation in your answer.arrow_forwardThe Snapdragon is a popular garden flower that comes in a variety of colours, including red, yellow, and orange. The genotypes and associated phenotypes for some of these flowers are as follows: aabb: yellow AABB, AABb, AaBb, and AaBB: red AAbb and Aabb: orange aaBB: yellow aaBb: ? Based on this information, what would the phenotype of a Snapdragon with the genotype aaBb be and why? Question 21 options: orange because A is epistatic to B yellow because A is epistatic to B red because B is epistatic to A orange because B is epistatic to A red because A is epistatic to B yellow because B is epistatic to Aarrow_forward
- A sample of blood was taken from the above individual and prepared for haemoglobin analysis. However, when water was added the cells did not lyse and looked normal in size and shape. The technician suspected that they had may have made an error in the protocol – what is the most likely explanation? The cell membranes are more resistant than normal. An isotonic solution had been added instead of water. A solution of 0.1 M NaCl had been added instead of water. Not enough water had been added to the red blood cell pellet. The man had sickle-cell anaemia.arrow_forwardA sample of blood was taken from the above individual and prepared for haemoglobin analysis. However, when water was added the cells did not lyse and looked normal in size and shape. The technician suspected that they had may have made an error in the protocol – what is the most likely explanation? The cell membranes are more resistant than normal. An isotonic solution had been added instead of water. A solution of 0.1 M NaCl had been added instead of water. Not enough water had been added to the red blood cell pellet. The man had sickle-cell anaemia.arrow_forwardWith reference to their absorption spectra of the oxy haemoglobin intact line) and deoxyhemoglobin (broken line) shown in Figure 2 below, how would you best explain the reason why there are differences in the major peaks of the spectra? Figure 2. SPECTRA OF OXYGENATED AND DEOXYGENATED HAEMOGLOBIN OBTAINED WITH THE RECORDING SPECTROPHOTOMETER 1.4 Abs < 0.8 06 0.4 400 420 440 460 480 500 520 540 560 580 600 nm 1. The difference in the spectra is due to a pH change in the deoxy-haemoglobin due to uptake of CO2- 2. There is more oxygen-carrying plasma in the oxy-haemoglobin sample. 3. The change in Mr due to oxygen binding causes the oxy haemoglobin to have a higher absorbance peak. 4. Oxy-haemoglobin is contaminated by carbaminohemoglobin, and therefore has a higher absorbance peak 5. Oxy-haemoglobin absorbs more light of blue wavelengths and less of red wavelengths than deoxy-haemoglobinarrow_forward
- With reference to their absorption spectra of the oxy haemoglobin intact line) and deoxyhemoglobin (broken line) shown in Figure 2 below, how would you best explain the reason why there are differences in the major peaks of the spectra? Figure 2. SPECTRA OF OXYGENATED AND DEOXYGENATED HAEMOGLOBIN OBTAINED WITH THE RECORDING SPECTROPHOTOMETER 1.4 Abs < 0.8 06 0.4 400 420 440 460 480 500 520 540 560 580 600 nm 1. The difference in the spectra is due to a pH change in the deoxy-haemoglobin due to uptake of CO2- 2. There is more oxygen-carrying plasma in the oxy-haemoglobin sample. 3. The change in Mr due to oxygen binding causes the oxy haemoglobin to have a higher absorbance peak. 4. Oxy-haemoglobin is contaminated by carbaminohemoglobin, and therefore has a higher absorbance peak 5. Oxy-haemoglobin absorbs more light of blue wavelengths and less of red wavelengths than deoxy-haemoglobinarrow_forwardWhich ONE of the following is FALSE regarding haemoglobin? It has two alpha subunits and two beta subunits. The subunits are joined by disulphide bonds. Each subunit covalently binds a haem group. Conformational change in one subunit can be transmitted to another. There are many variant ("mutant") forms of haemoglobin that are not harmful.arrow_forwardWhich ONE of the following is FALSE regarding haemoglobin? It has two alpha subunits and two beta subunits. The subunits are joined by disulphide bonds. Each subunit covalently binds a haem group. Conformational change in one subunit can be transmitted to another. There are many variant ("mutant") forms of haemoglobin that are not harmful.arrow_forward
- Biology (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781337392938Author:Eldra Solomon, Charles Martin, Diana W. Martin, Linda R. BergPublisher:Cengage LearningConcepts of BiologyBiologyISBN:9781938168116Author:Samantha Fowler, Rebecca Roush, James WisePublisher:OpenStax CollegeBiology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781305389892Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillanPublisher:Cengage Learning
- Biology 2eBiologyISBN:9781947172517Author:Matthew Douglas, Jung Choi, Mary Ann ClarkPublisher:OpenStaxHuman Heredity: Principles and Issues (MindTap Co...BiologyISBN:9781305251052Author:Michael CummingsPublisher:Cengage Learning





