A particular environment has enough food to support 50 rats through the winter. At the end of winter one year, there are 25 female rats and 25 male rats. Each of the 25 females gives birth to several litters of 3-6 pups each. In the fall, there are 300 rats.
Ignoring the effects of predators and disease, what will happen to this population of rats between fall and the next spring?
A.
The fifty strongest rats will kill or drive off the others, then reproduce next spring.
B.
Fifty rats will die of old age, and 200 others will starve to death, leaving 50 to reproduce next spring.
C.
The fifty rats best able to get and keep food will survive to reproduce next spring.
D.
The rats will thrive because they have already reproduced successfully.
1 answer
C. The fifty rats best able to get and keep food will survive to reproduce next spring.
11 answers