SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

Question

Based on the results of the mouse coloration case study, suggest another hypothesis researchers might use to study the role of predators in natural selection.

A. You might wonder what would happen if the owl was allowed to hunt during daytime.
B. You might wonder what would happen if a population of beach mice lived in an area where predators were replaced with other predators.
C. You might wonder what would happen if a population of beach mice lived in an area where predators were absent.
D. You might wonder what would happen if a population of beach mice was mixed with a population of dark inland mice.

Answer 1

A suitable hypothesis that researchers might use to study the role of predators in natural selection, based on the provided options, is:

C. You might wonder what would happen if a population of beach mice lived in an area where predators were absent.

This hypothesis would allow researchers to observe how the absence of predators affects the coloration and other traits of the beach mice over time, potentially leading to an understanding of how these traits are selected for in a predator-rich environment versus one where predators are not present. It directly addresses the role of predation in shaping natural selection.