There are two varieties in a population of squirrels: short tails and long tails. Long-tailed squirrels are better at jumping and balancing in trees. Scientists observe that over the span of 100 years, the proportion of the population with long tails increases from 10% to 60%. Which statement is most likely? (1 point)

Question

There are two varieties in a population of squirrels: short tails and long tails. Long-tailed squirrels are better at jumping and balancing in trees. Scientists observe that over the span of 100 years, the proportion of the population with long tails increases from 10% to 60%. Which statement is most likely? (1 point)
The proportion of short-tailed squirrels may have decreased due to decreased food 
availability.
• The proportion of short-tailed squirrels may have decreased due to an increase in trees.
° The proportion of long-tailed squirrels may have increased due to a decrease in trees.
The proportion of long-tailed squirrels may have increased due to increased food availability

GPT-4o mini · Answer

The most likely statement is: **The proportion of long-tailed squirrels may have increased due to increased food availability.** This explanation aligns with the idea that long-tailed squirrels have an advantage in jumping and balancing in trees, which may enhance their foraging abilities and overall survival in a habitat where food availability is crucial.