Question

Why would the black-tailed jackrabbit evolve the following characteristics:
large ears to regulate body temperature; long legs help outrun predators; fur on the bottoms of feet protect from hot, hard surfaces;digests food twice to obtain the maximum amount of water and nutrition?
a.
to survive in a grassland environment
b.
to survive in a tundra environment
c.
to survive in a rainforest environment
d.
to survive in a chaparral environment

Answer 1

a. to survive in a grassland environment

These traits match life in open, hot, arid or semi-arid grasslands: large ears radiate heat, long legs allow fast running across open terrain to escape predators, furry footpads protect against hot/hard ground, and re‑eating/second digestion (cecotrophy) recovers water and nutrients from dry vegetation.