Suppose a population of garter snakes that was initially naive to newts with TTX was placed with such newts.Assuming that the population persisted, over the course of many generations, we would expect the snakes to _______ in TTX resistance and _______ in speed.
A) increase; increase
B) increase; decrease
C) remain the same; increase
D) decrease; increase
E) decrease; decrease

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

We would expect the snakes to increase in TTX resistance over many generations due to natural selection favoring snakes with mutations that confer resistance. However, we would also expect the snakes to decrease in speed as a potential trade-off for this increased resistance to TTX. This is because TTX resistance may require changes to the protein channels that control nerve impulses, which could also impact muscular function and, therefore, speed.

Suppose a Population of Garter Snakes That Was Initially Naive