[Campbell Biology P.71] In the deserts of New Mexico, soils are either sandy or derived fro... | Practice Question

In the deserts of New Mexico, soils are either sandy or derived from ancient black lava flows. Mice populations exist in both areas, and owls are known predators. Considering the camouflage hypothesis, what coat color would you expect for mice in each area, and how would you experimentally test this hypothesis?

  • A: Mice in sandy areas would be dark, and mice in black rock areas would be light. Test by observing owl predation rates in both environments.
  • B: Mice in sandy areas would be light, and mice in black rock areas would be dark. Test by capturing and marking mice to track their survival rates in each area.
  • C: Mice in sandy areas would be light, and mice in black rock areas would be dark. Test by changing the environment (e.g., adding sand to rocky areas) and observing population changes.
  • D: Mice in sandy areas would be dark, and mice in black rock areas would be light. Test by analyzing the diet of the owls to see if they consume more of one color of mouse.

Explanation

The camouflage hypothesis suggests that animals evolve to blend in with their environment to avoid predators. Therefore, mice in sandy areas would likely have light coats, and those in black rock areas would have dark coats. To test this, researchers could use capture-mark-recapture methods to track the survival rates of mice with different coat colors in each environment. If camouflage is effective, mice matching their environment should have higher survival rates.