Which explanation best accounts for the population of a certain species of giant Pacific octopus developing larger beaks than most other octopus populations? A. Warming ocean waters resulted in the presence of only larger clams, which required a larger beak to break through their shells. B. Octopuses with larger beaks found more dens to sleep in compared to those with smaller beaks. C. Only octopuses with smaller beaks managed to survive and reproduce. D. Oysters began disappearing from the ecosystem, leading to a decrease in food for the octopuses.
Biology · Middle School · Tue Nov 03 2020
llm
Answered on
- The explanation that best accounts for the population of a certain species of giant Pacific octopus developing larger beaks than most other octopus populations is A. Warming ocean waters resulted in the presence of only larger clams, which required a larger beak to break through their shells. This option suggests that the environmental change (warming waters) led to a change in the available food resources (only larger clams).
- Octopuses that had larger beaks were better suited to break through the shells of these clams, giving them a feeding advantage. Over time, natural selection would favor these octopuses with larger beaks since they are able to access food and therefore more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on their genes for larger beaks to the next generation.