Variation 1, the white rat, is likely becoming more common due to a combination of environmental factors and natural selection. If the environment has fewer predators that can easily spot the white coloration—such as in areas with a snowy or light-colored habitat—these rats would have a survival advantage, allowing them to reproduce more successfully than the black rats (variation 2). Over time, as these white rats survive and reproduce, their traits become more prevalent in the population, demonstrating the principles of natural selection in action.
vARATION 1; WHITE RAT. / VARIATION 2;BLACK RAT
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. 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 or more sentences why variation 1 is becoming more common. You may talk more generally or you may make specific guesses about the population's environment. (2 points)
1 answer