In an ecosystem, there are two color varieties within a species of toads: brown and green. Over 50 years, the proportion of the population that is green increases from 20% to 50%. Which statement is the most likely to explain this change? (1 point)

Question

In an ecosystem, there are two color varieties within a species of toads: brown and green. Over 50 years, the proportion of the population that is green increases from 20% to 50%. Which statement is the most likely to explain this change? (1 point)
Responses

The environment changed such that green toads can blend into their surroundings better.
The environment changed such that green toads can blend into their surroundings better.

A disease caused a decrease in the proportion of brown toads.
A disease caused a decrease in the proportion of brown toads.

The environment changed such that toads that can jump higher into the trees to survive better.
The environment changed such that toads that can jump higher into the trees to survive better.

Pollution caused a decrease in the proportion of brown toads.

GPT-4o mini · Answer

The statement that is most likely to explain the change in the proportion of green toads from 20% to 50% is:

The environment changed such that green toads can blend into their surroundings better.

This explanation aligns with the concept of natural selection, where a change in the environment favoring a trait—in this case, the green coloration of toads—can lead to an increase in the population of that trait over time. The other statements, while they may also have some impact, are less directly related to the observed increase in the green toad population.