Question

Climate change is a threat to the existence of many species. Which of the following limits to natural selection hinders the adaptation of species to the new climate conditions? (5 POINTS)

A: Climate change happens so fast, that there is not enough time for species to migrate to cooler areas. If they would migrate any faster natural selection could not keep up with them.

B: The building plan of plants and animals is too complex. They cannot cope with the warmer temperatures.

C: Many species go naturally extinct, that has nothing to do with climate change. They are not well adapted to cope with change.

D: Many species do not have gene variants in their gene pool that are beneficial in higher temperatures. Climate change happens so fast that new gene variants are unlikely to arise before the species goes extinct.

Answer 1

D: Many species do not have gene variants in their gene pool that are beneficial in higher temperatures. Climate change happens so fast that new gene variants are unlikely to arise before the species goes extinct.

Natural Selection, as the name implies can only act on existing genes (and their alleles) in an organism. Since organisms may be occupying niches that have a particular temperature variation, it is likely they do not have the gene variants that confer adaptability to higher temperatures due to Global Warming.