SSCE VCE Biology Evolution and Species Relationships: The extinct woolly mammoth, Mamm

Question

The extinct woolly mammoth, Mammuthus primigenius, was closely related and similar in size to present-day elephants. It was herbivorous and highly adapted to very cold climates, with a dense undercoat and small, fur-lined ears. The table below shows information about woolly mammoths inferred from extensive fossil evidence.

| Number of years ago | Event                                                                 | Abundance of mammoths |
|--------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
| 200,000            | woolly mammoths first appeared in north-east Siberia and later spread to Europe, Asia and North America | very high             |
| 100,000 - 20,000  | climate warmed                                                       | moderate              |
| 100,000            | climate cooled                                                       | low                   |
| 15,000             | first evidence of human hunting: spear found in mammoth vertebrae   | low                   |
| 10,000 - 10,000   | mammoths extinct in North America, Europe and most of northern Asia  | very low, found only in Siberia |
| 3,890              | last woolly mammoth died on an island off the coast of Siberia      | non-existent          |

Define the term ‘selection pressure’ and, based on the information provided, give an example of a selection pressure on woolly mammoths.

The extinct woolly mammoth, Mammuthus primigenius, was closely related and similar in size to present-day elephants - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 12 - 2014 - Paper 1

Worked Solution & Example Answer:The extinct woolly mammoth, Mammuthus primigenius, was closely related and similar in size to present-day elephants - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 12 - 2014 - Paper 1

Define the term ‘selection pressure’

Give an example of a selection pressure on woolly mammoths

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