Question

scenario:
a population of green and brown beetles lives in a grassy field. after a fire, most of the grass
dies and the ground becomes brown. over time, more brown beetles survive and fewer green
beetles are left.
questions:

1. claim: which color beetle is better adapted to the new environment?
2. evidence: what happened that supports your claim?
3. reasoning: explain why the brown beetles became more common over time.

Explanation:

Question 1:

The new environment after the fire has a brown ground. Brown beetles match the new environment's color, so they are better adapted.

Question 2:

The evidence is that over time, more brown beetles survive and fewer green beetles are left. This shows brown beetles are more suited to the post - fire (brown - ground) environment.

Question 3:

Brown beetles have a camouflage advantage in the brown - ground environment. Predators are less likely to spot them, so they survive and reproduce more. Green beetles are more visible, get preyed on more, and their numbers decrease. Natural selection favors brown beetles, making them more common over time.

Answer:

1.

The brown beetle is better adapted to the new environment.

2.

Over time, more brown beetles survive and fewer green beetles are left.

3.

In the new brown - ground environment, brown beetles are camouflaged and less likely to be preyed upon. Green beetles are more visible to predators. Through natural selection, brown beetles survive and reproduce more, leading to their increased prevalence over time.