In the small islands off the southern tip of Florida, a subspecies of the white-tailed deer, called the key deer, can be found. Key deer are much smaller than white-tailed deer. Which of the following most likely explains why the key deer are smaller than the white-tailed deer? a There are fewer food sources on the islands for deer than in the rest of the state. b The key deer have a slower and less efficient metabolism than the white-tailed deer. c The key deer have a faster and more efficient metabolism than the white-tailed deer. d There are more food sources on the islands for deer than in the rest of the state.
1 answer
The most likely explanation for why the key deer are smaller than the white-tailed deer is:
a) There are fewer food sources on the islands for deer than in the rest of the state.
This explanation aligns with the principle of "island dwarfism," where limited resources and habitat can lead to smaller body sizes among species that are isolated in smaller environments, such as islands.
