What Causes This Mosquito to be Resistant?

NGSS Phenomena: A close up of a mosquito, drinking from someone and you can see the abdomen filling up with blood.
Mosquitos are a popular subject of research studies, because they transmit many different diseases. One of the most popular methods for dealing with these insects is to spray insecticides. The below image is from a 2007 research study on Culex pipiens mosquitos. The graph shows 20 years of changes in 2 different alleles (in red and blue) that researchers have identified to be tied to insecticide resistance in Southern France.

As you answer the questions that follow, think about the reasons that a population of mosquitos would have a change in these alleles over time.
NGSS Phenomena:
Labbe et al. 2007
References:
Labbe P, Berticat C, Berthomieu A, Unal S, Bernard C, et al. (2007) Forty years of erratic insecticide resistance evolution in the mosquito Culex pipiens. PLoS Genet 3: e205. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.0030205.

1. Evolutionary changes due to natural selection occurs .

Drag the answers below into the grey placeholders above

only to certain individuals
over multiple generations
immediately

2. Which of the following is true of a trait that increases survival?

3. What could have possibly caused the change in gene frequency over time in mosquitos?

4. What does this data represent?

5. If a new mosquito was born in this region in 1988, what are the chances that it will have the red allele for insecticide resistance?

6. If a new mosquito was born in this region in 2004, what are the chances that it will have the red allele for insecticide resistance?

7. This study looked at a region where insecticides were used most often near the coast. Write a claim to answer the following question:

If we move farther away from the coast, how do you expect the frequency of insecticide resistant alleles to change?

8. Describe 2 pieces of evidence to support your claim to answer the following question:

If we move farther away from the coast, how do you expect the frequency of insecticide resistant alleles to change?

9. Explain the reasoning that connects your evidence with your claim to answer the following question:

If we move farther away from the coast, how do you expect the frequency of insecticide resistant alleles to change?

10. Write a claim to answer the following question:

How can natural selection explain the changes in the red allele over time?

11. Describe 2 pieces of evidence to support your claim to answer the following question:

How can natural selection explain the changes in the red allele over time?

12. Explain the reasoning that connects your evidence with your claim to answer the following question:

How can natural selection explain the changes in the red allele over time?

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This matching question aligns to the following standards

  • LS4.C: Adaptation

  • HS-LS4-3

This multiple choice question aligns to the following standards

  • LS4.C: Adaptation

  • HS-LS4-3

This multiple choice question aligns to the following standards

  • LS4.C: Adaptation

  • HS-LS4-3

This multiple choice question aligns to the following standards

  • LS4.B: Natural Selection

  • LS4.C: Adaptation

  • Patterns

  • HS-LS4-3

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

This multiple choice question aligns to the following standards

  • LS4.B: Natural Selection

  • LS4.C: Adaptation

  • Patterns

  • HS-LS4-3

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

This multiple choice question aligns to the following standards

  • LS4.B: Natural Selection

  • LS4.C: Adaptation

  • Patterns

  • HS-LS4-3

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • LS4.B: Natural Selection

  • LS4.C: Adaptation

  • Patterns

  • HS-LS4-3

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • LS4.B: Natural Selection

  • LS4.C: Adaptation

  • Patterns

  • HS-LS4-3

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • LS4.B: Natural Selection

  • LS4.C: Adaptation

  • Patterns

  • HS-LS4-3

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • LS4.B: Natural Selection

  • LS4.C: Adaptation

  • Patterns

  • HS-LS4-3

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • LS4.B: Natural Selection

  • LS4.C: Adaptation

  • Patterns

  • HS-LS4-3

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • LS4.B: Natural Selection

  • LS4.C: Adaptation

  • Patterns

  • HS-LS4-3

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Data

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