Chapter 16, Problem 11STP

Summary Introduction

To explain:

How development of malathion resistant mosquitoes fit with the ideas of variation and heritability in natural selection

Introduction:

Charles Darwin gave a theory of natural selection. He argued that if enough time is given, natural selection could modify a population to produce new species.

Answer to Problem 11STP

Charles Darwin gave the theory of natural selection which suggests that a population could get modified to produce new species by undergoing variation, inheritance, overproduction of offspring and reproductive success.

In a population of mosquitoes, there is variation as some mosquitoes are malathion resistant and some are malathion sensitive.

These variations can be inherited as malathion resistant mosquitoes produce malathion resistant mosquitos.

Hence, the development of malathion resistant mosquitoes is in accordance to theory of natural selection.

Explanation of Solution

Charles Darwin in his theory of natural selection proposed that natural selection could modify a population to produce new species. There are four principles of this theory.

1. Individual in a population show differences called variations.
2. Variations can be inherited; i.e they can be passed down from parent to offspring.
3. Organisms produce more offspring than can survive on available resources.
4. Variations that increase reproductive success will have a greater chance of being passed on than those that do not increase reproductive success.

In a population of mosquitoes some mosquitoes are malathion resistant and some are malathion sensitive. This shows variation in the population as individuals show differences in traits.

Variations can be inherited; i.e they can be passed down from parent to offspring. So malathion resistant mosquitoes reproduce into malathion resistant mosquitos and malathion sensitive mosquitoes produce malathion sensitive mosquitoes. Hence variations show heritability.

Hence, we can say that development of malathion resistant mosquitoes fits with the ideas of variation and heritability in natural selection.

In this way new species of malathion resistant mosquitoes are introduced into nature.