Question

question 2 of 10
a small number of finches live in a protected bird area. they are given as
much food as they need and have plenty of space. why would natural
selection not occur in this population?
o a. the population has no genetic variation.
o b. the birds have no reason to mutate.
o c. the population is above carrying capacity.
o d. the birds do not compete for resources.

Explanation:

Natural selection occurs when organisms compete for limited resources. In this case, since the finches have as much food as they need and plenty of space, there is no competition for resources. Without competition, natural selection, which acts on variations that give an advantage in resource - acquisition, cannot occur. Option A is incorrect because a small population can still have genetic variation. Option B is wrong as mutations are random and not dependent on "reason". Option C is incorrect as the population is not above carrying capacity (they have enough resources).

Answer:

D. The birds do not compete for resources.