A family raises a species of fish in a pond. At the end of each summer, the family sells the fully grown fish. One year, the family notices that the fish are smaller than they had been the previous year. Which statement best explains this observation?(1 point)

Question

Responses

There was more space in the pond this year than last year.
There was more space in the pond this year than last year.

The type of fish in the pond this year tended to be smaller than the type of fish last year.
The type of fish in the pond this year tended to be smaller than the type of fish last year.

There were fewer fish this year than there were last year.
There were fewer fish this year than there were last year.

There was less food available in the pond this year than last year.

Answer 1

The statement that best explains why the fish are smaller than they had been the previous year is:

There was less food available in the pond this year than last year.

Limited food availability can result in smaller fish because they may not be able to grow to their full potential if they do not receive enough nourishment.