Name: ___________________________________ Period: _________ Date: _______________

The Biology of Skin Color Student Pages

PART 1: Is There a Connection Between UV Radiation and Skin Color?

Directions: Watch the video, The Biology of Skin Color, starting at the beginning and stopping at 5:49.

Examine Figure 1 then answer questions 1-6 below.

1. What is the relationship between the UV Index (colored bar in Figure 1) and latitude (y-axis)? ______________
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2. Why does UV intensity change with latitude? _____________________________________________________
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3. Find the approximate location for Houston, TX on the map. What is the primary UV Index value on this
particular day (September 24, 2010)?
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4. Look at the regions that receive the most intense UV light (light pink on the map). Cite a specific piece of
evidence (data) from the map that a factor other than latitude was contributing to the UV intensity on this day.
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5. What is melanin? What is the difference between eumelanin and pheomelanin? _______________________
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6. Where in the world would you expect to find human populations with darker skin pigmentations? Lighter skin
pigmentations?
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One way to measure skin color is by skin reflection. Scientists shine visible light on a portion of skin (typically on the
inside of the arm) and then measure how much light is reflected back. Dark skin reflects less light than light skin; the
lower the reflectance value, the darker the skin.
Examine Figure 2 and answer the questions below.
7. Compare the color of your own skin on the inner arm and outer arm. Why is reflectance data collected from a
person’s inner arm?
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8. Describe the relationship between skin reflectance (y-axis) and latitude (x-axis). Consider both the direction
and steepness of the lines’ slopes.
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9. Compare Figure 1 and Figure 2. Name a country or state where the majority of the people would have a skin
reflectance of 25%. _________________________ 65% ___________________________
Directions: Watch the video, The Biology of Skin Color, starting at the beginning at 5:49 and stopping at 9:08. Then
answer question 10.

10. Based on what you know about natural selection and human skin color, what might be a strong selection
pressure for dark skin in tropical areas such as Africa?
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PART 2: What was the Selective Pressure?

Directions: Watch the video, The Biology of Skin Color, starting at the beginning at 9:08 and stopping at 12:19. Then
answer question 11 - 13.
11. What is unique about the MC1R gene among African populations? ____________________________________
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12. What does it mean for a trait, such as light skin coloration, to be under negative selection in equatorial Africa?
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13. Explain in why protection against skin cancer is NOT a strong selection pressure for the evolution of darker skin
in human populations.
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Directions: Use Figure 3 below to answer questions 14-17.

Directions: Watch the video, The Biology of Skin Color, starting at the beginning at 12:19and stopping at 13:32. Then
answer question 11 - 13.

14. What is the relationship between folate levels and UV exposure? Use specific data from the graph in Figure 3
to support your answer.
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15. Dr. Jabolonski describes that learning that low folate levels ae linked to severe birth defects as a “eureka
moment.” What does she mean by this?
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16. What happens to undeveloped fetuses whose mothers are exposed to strong UV for 60 minutes per day during
their pregnancy?
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17. Besides exposure to strong UV light for 60 minutes per day, what else can cause a pregnant mother to have low
folate levels?
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PART 3: Why Aren’t We All Dark Skinned?

Directions: Watch the video, The Biology of Skin Color, starting at the beginning at 13:32 and stopping at 16:04. Then
analyze the graph in Figure 4 and answer question 18 - 22.
18. Based on the data in the data table and the map, which populations are least likely to synthesize sufficient
levels of vitamin D? Explain your answer based on the data in the table.
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19. How does the data support the hypothesis that evolution of lighter skin colors was driven by selection for
vitamin D production?
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20. For a person living farther away from the equator, would the risk of vitamin D deficiency be uniform
throughout the year or differ throughout the year? Explain.
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21. Vitamin D and folate levels are both affected by UV light. What would be the effect of using a tanning booth
(which exposes the skin to UV light) on the blood levels of these two vitamins?
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22. Based on everything that you have learned so far, provide an explanation for how the different shades of skin
color from pinkish white to dark brown evolved throughout human history.
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PART 4: How does Recent Migration Affect Our Health?

Directions: Watch the video, The Biology of Skin Color, starting at the beginning at 16:04 and continuing to the end.
Then analyze the graph in Figure 5 and answer question 23 - 24.
23. Which subpopulation (gender / race / ethnicity) is at the greatest risk for vitamin D deficiency? Which
subpopulation is at the lowest risk for vitamin D deficiency?
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24. What is one consequence of recent human migrations to different parts of the globe on human health?
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