Case study: Florida Panther
Florida panther, our FIU mascot, are a type of puma, Puma concolor, which is a large predatory cat that roams in
ecosystems from Canada, through the US all the way to the southern tip of Argentina. Florida panthers used to live
throughout the southeastern United States. However, due to habitat destruction and hunting, pumas in the US have
disappeared east of Mississippi River. Only one small Eastern population remains, isolated in South Florida.
Currently only about 40-60 individuals survive in their native habitat, a very small population. Which mechanism for
evolutionary change is the most powerful for small populations?
O Genetic drift
Gene Flow (migration)
Mutation
Natural Selection
Random mating