“Florida mice†essay question
Describe Hopi Hoekstra’s evidence for how coloration forAtlantic coast beach mice of Florida evolved independently fromcoloration for Gulf coast beach mice of Florida. Be specific interms of the different genetic mechanisms associated with theformation of a similar phenotypic trait across the two beach micepopulations. How did Hopi Hoekstra test the fitness (differentialsurvival) associated with the presence or absence of the colorationtrait in the beach mice? How do we know that the pale colorationtrait of beach mice was derived from the ancestral coloration ofmainland mice, and not vice versa? How could you test to seewhether the change in coloration trait was heritable and not just aconsequence of phenotypic plasticity?
