Question

directions: read each example carefully. after reading, answer the question in complete sentences. make sure your response explains why the variation is helpful for survival. 1. fish body size in a winding river, a single species of fish shows surprising variety in size. some grow much larger than their siblings. these bigger fish are powerful swimmers and can fight off predators like herons or bigger fish. their size also helps them chase down prey. but being large has a cost: big fish require more food and may struggle if food becomes scarce. smaller fish, on the other hand, don’t need as much food. they can dart quickly into narrow spaces between rocks or plants where predators cannot follow. but being small makes them easier targets if caught in the open. because both large and small fish exist in the population, the species has a better chance of surviving whether food is plentiful or limited, and whether predators are near or not. question: why is it helpful for a fish population to have both large and small individuals in its population?

Explanation:

The variation in fish body - size helps survival in different ways. Larger fish can chase down prey and fight off predators, but may struggle when food is scarce. Smaller fish can dart into narrow spaces to evade predators and require less food. Having both large and small individuals in a population increases the species' chances of survival regardless of food availability and predator presence.

Answer:

It increases the species' overall chance of survival as different - sized fish can adapt to different environmental conditions like food availability and predator threats.