Question

the woolly mammoth was a relative of modern elephants that lived in the cold, northern parts of the world less than five million years ago. mammoths in warmer parts of the world lacked the warm, shaggy fur the woolly mammoth developed. which of the following sentences best describes how natural selection resulted in the woolly mammoth? a. mammoths with thicker fur were more successful at surviving and reproducing in cold climates. b. cold climates triggered the growth of thick, warm fur on mammoths. c. mammoths stopped shedding. eventually, they lost the ability to shed fur. d. mammoths used their hair follicles to grow fur more often, resulting in stronger hair follicles.

Explanation:

Natural selection is about organisms with traits (like thicker fur for cold) that help survival/reproduction being more successful. Option A says mammoths with thicker fur survived/reproduced better in cold, which fits natural selection. Option B implies climate caused fur growth (not selection). Options C and D talk about losing shedding ability or hair follicle use, not natural selection's core (trait advantage for survival/reproduction).

Answer:

A. Mammoths with thicker fur were more successful at surviving and reproducing in cold climates.