Individuals in a population of beetles that can digest an invasive species of plant survive better during a food shortage than those that cannot. Over time, what evolutionary outcome would you expect?(1 point)

Question

Responses

Beetles that can digest the plant will increase in the population.
Beetles that can digest the plant will increase in the population.

Beetles that digest the invasive species will decrease in number.
Beetles that digest the invasive species will decrease in number.

Beetles that cannot digest the plant will adapt to start digesting it.
Beetles that cannot digest the plant will adapt to start digesting it.

The beetles will eventually lose the ability to digest the invasive species.

Answer 1

The correct evolutionary outcome you would expect is:

Beetles that can digest the plant will increase in the population.

This is because those beetles have a survival advantage during food shortages, allowing them to reproduce more successfully than those that cannot digest the invasive species. Over time, this would lead to an increase in the proportion of beetles that possess this trait in the population.