Question A species of fox lives in the arctic where the ground is covered in white snow most of the year. These arctic foxes hunt rodents and other small mammals, while their predators include eagles, wolves, and polar bears. A mutation in its DNA causes a fox to have white fur rather than brown. Given this information, would you classify this mutation as a harmful, beneficial, or neutral mutation? Would this make the fox more or less likely to survive? Explain your answer.
The mutation that causes a fox to have white fur instead of brown can be classified as a beneficial mutation in this particular environment. In the arctic where the ground is covered in white snow most of the year, having white fur would provide the fox with better camouflage, making it harder for predators such as eagles, wolves, and polar bears to spot them. This would increase the likelihood of survival for the fox with white fur compared to those with brown fur, as they would be better able to evade their predators and therefore have a higher chance of passing on their genes to the next generation.
Overall, this mutation would be beneficial for the survival of the arctic foxes in their snowy environment, as it provides them with a survival advantage by increasing their chances of avoiding predation.