If a new area has high predation pressure from native crayfish, what trait might become more prevalent in zebra mussel genes?
Answer
Genes for thicker shells or denser byssal threads
Evolutionary adaptation in invasive species is contingent upon the specific selective pressures present in the new habitat. In scenarios where local predators, such as native crayfish, exert significant predatory pressure on the zebra mussels, natural selection will favor individuals possessing physical defenses against these attacks. Consequently, genes that code for advantageous defensive traits—specifically, the development of thicker shells for protection or denser byssal threads which ensure a stronger, harder-to-dislodge attachment to substrates—are likely to increase in frequency and become fixed within that specific local gene pool over generations.
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