Question

natural and artificial selection

1. an african savanna is home to a variety of species. giraffes often feed on the leaves of acacia trees. some scientists have hypothesized that the giraffes with longer necks would be better suited to their environment. what do you expect to happen to the giraffe population if the majority of the acacia trees only produced leaves near the top?

read the question carefully. write your answer and evidence in the box provided.

Explanation:

This problem relates to natural selection in biology. If acacia trees have leaves mostly at the top, giraffes with longer necks (a favorable trait for reaching those leaves) will have better survival and reproduction rates. Over time, the giraffe population will likely evolve to have more individuals with longer necks, as they are better adapted to access the food source, leading to natural selection favoring longer - necked giraffes.

Answer:

The giraffe population will likely evolve such that a greater proportion of giraffes have longer necks. Evidence: Giraffes with longer necks can better access the acacia tree leaves (the main food source here) that are mostly at the top. These giraffes will have a survival advantage (more likely to get enough food to survive and reproduce), so over generations, the trait of longer necks will become more common in the population due to natural selection.