Question

1. *in the following example, identify if natural selection has occurred and justify with evidence to the text and reasoning to support your claim. a population of arboreal rodents lives in one species of pine tree. these pine trees have very evenly spaced branches of uniform thickness. rodents that are too small cannot reach between the branches to move around in the tree. rodents that are too big and heavy break through the branches and fall out of the trees. after generations, the rodent population contains adults of very uniform size.

Explanation:

Natural selection occurs when traits that enhance survival and reproduction become more common in a population over generations. In this case, arboreal rodents in pine - tree habitats face a selective pressure. Rodents that are too small cannot reach between branches, and those that are too big and heavy break through branches and fall out. So, rodents of a more suitable size are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on genes for that size. This is evidence of natural selection as the population's characteristics (rodent size) are changing over generations in response to the environmental pressure of moving through the pine - tree branches.

Answer:

Yes, natural selection has occurred. Small rodents cannot reach between branches and large/heavy ones break through and fall out. Over generations, the rodent population contains adults of very uniform size, which indicates that rodents of a suitable size for moving through branches are more likely to survive and reproduce, thus passing on genes for that size.