An island is on the migration route of sea birds. This island also has abundant tree nesting birds that live on the island permanently and are not found on any other island. The tree nesting birds are more likely than the sea birds to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium because:

Question

A.  the sea bird population is larger.
B.  there are fewer mutations in the sea birds.
C.  mating is random in the tree nesting birds.
D.  of high immigration in the sea bird population.
E.  natural selection is stronger in the tree nesting birds.

Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
· What type of thinking is required?
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
 
Gather Content· What do you already know about the Hardy-Weinberg principle? How does it relate to the question?

  Consider Possibilities
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
 
Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?

Answer 1

D.  of high immigration in the sea bird population.


Clarify Question
· What is the key concept addressed by the question?
        o This question is asking you to analyze how two different populations of birds will evolve based on where the populations live throughout the year.
· What type of thinking is required?
        o This is an analyze question because you have to determine the effect of migratory birds on Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.
· What key words does the question contain and what do they mean?
        o Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, which refers to populations whose genotype frequencies do not change from generation to generation.
        o Migration, which means that individuals move from one location to another
        o Population, which refers to a group of individuals living in the same area that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
 
Gather Content· What do you already know about the Hardy-Weinberg principle? How does it relate to the question?
        o The Hardy-Weinberg principle states that the original proportions of the genotypes in a population will remain constant from generation to generation, as long as the following assumptions are met:
            1. No mutation takes place.  
            2. No genes are transferred to or from other sources.
            3. Mating is random.
            4. The population size is very large.
            5. No selection occurs.

  Consider Possibilities
· What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
        o The question states that an island populated by tree nesting birds is on the migration route of sea birds. In regards to the assumptions for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, these two populations are different in one key assumption. One of the populations in the question stem violates one of the five assumptions. Which population violates which assumption?
 
Choose Answer
· Given what you now know, what information and/or problem solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
        o To answer this question, you may choose to identify the Hardy-Weinberg condition that is not being met and then identify which population is not meeting that condition. In this specific example, an island populated by tree nesting birds is on the migration route of sea birds. Information in the question stem provides clues to which Hardy-Weinberg condition is not being met.

Reflect on Process
· Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
        o This question asked you to determine the impact of migratory birds vs. non-migratory birds on Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in both populations.
        o Answering this question correctly depended not only on distinguishing between migratory sea birds and tree nesting birds, but on your ability to break down, or analyze, how the Hardy-Weinberg principle is applied to this particular situation.
        o If you got the correct answer, excellent! If you got an incorrect answer, where did the process break down? Did you remember the five assumptions for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, or that statements within the question stem could provide clues for identifying the conditions for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium? Did you have trouble breaking down how the Hardy-Weinberg principle could be applied to this situation to determine the correct answer?