Populations of the grasshopper Vandiemenella viatica possess different chromosomal fusions and inversions. Grasshoppers that are heterozygous for different chromosomal rearrangements have reduced fitness. What would you expect to observe if you investigated the genotypes of grasshoppers in a recently merged population?

The options

a. New combinations of genes yielding genotypes of greater fitness

b. Few heterozygotes because of underdominance

c. Frequency-dependent selection, leading to fluctuations in fitness

d. Heterozygotes with greater fitness, owing to overdominance

e. A random assortment of genotypes because of genetic drift

The CORRECT ANSWER IS b.

b. Few heterozygotes because of under dominance

Explanation:

In genetics, underdominance (at times called "negative overdominance") is the opposite of overdominance.

It is the selection against the heterozygote, that leads to disruptive selection and divergent genotypes. It occurs in cases of inferior and reduced fitness (As in our case study, it is the different chromosomal fusions and inversions)

of the heterozygotic genotype to the dominant or recessive homozygotic genotype. It is unstable as it causes fixation of either allele.

Another example is the African butterfly species Pseudacraea eurytus, which makes use of Batesian mimicry to avoid predation. This species carries two alleles that gives a coloration that is alike to a different local butterfly species that is harmful to its predator. The butterflies who are heterozygous for this trait are observed to be intermediate in coloration and thus encounter an higher risk of predation and a decrease in the total fitness.

cells use diffusion to get substances in and out of themselves. that diffusion will occur across the cell membrane or the outer covering of the cell. because we are talking about the surface of the cell, surface area and volume are  important factors here. as a cell increases in size, its surface area and volume increase as well.  we call that the surface area to volume ratio (sa: vol).  but the catch is that  volume increases at a greater rate than surface  area. in other words, as a cell gets bigger, the sa: vol gets smaller. so a really small cell like bacteria is mostly cell membrane (surface) with very little contents (volume). a really big cell like an egg, is mostly insides with a super thin membrane. so what ends up happening is that the cell cannot efficiently diffuse all of the stuff it needs in/out to survive. therefore cell size is limited to about 100mm. so how do we make organisms bigger than 100mm? cells divide! by dividing and becoming multicellular, organisms are able to grow!   check out the diagrams i attached to see the effect of sa: vol. i hope this ! good luck!