Lactase Persistence

Description of the Event:
Lactase Persistence (LP) frequencies worldwide are not consistent. The prevalence of LP is much higher in some geographic regions than in others.

Stimuli: How will students experience and/or observe the phenomena/problem?
Students are given the following data on worldwide frequencies of LP. Additionally, students will be given the worldwide allele frequencies from the most-studied LP-associated genetic variants.

Essential Questions:
What factors could account for the significantly higher (or lower) rates of LP in certain geographical regions compared to others?