Variation 1, with its white fur and red eyes, may provide a selective advantage in its environment, such as better camouflage in snowy or light-colored habitats, leading to increased survival and reproductive success compared to variation 2. As a result, individuals with variation 1 are more likely to survive and pass on their traits to the next generation, causing their population numbers to grow over time.
Imagine you are a scientist observing a wild population of rats. You study the population for many years. Your focus is counting how many individuals have each of the pictured variations.
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Variation 1
White fur red eyes
Variation 2
Black fur black eyes
As the individuals in this population reproduce, those with variation 1 slowly begin to outnumber those with variation 2.
Using what you know about Natural Selection, explain in 2 sentences why variation 1 is becoming more common. You may talk more generally or you may make specific guesses about the population's environment
1 answer