Question

Which three statements does the adaptation of mussels developing thicker shells to protect themselves from crabs suggest?

Option 1: A change in the environment led to a new distribution of traits in a population.
Option 2: The trait of shell thickening underwent natural selection.
Option 3: The trait for shell thickening will not be selected by future mussel generations.
Option 4: Half of the mussel population developed the trait while the other half did not.
Option 5: Mussels with the shell thickening trait had a greater chance of survival.

Answer 1

Mussels developing thicker shells suggest that an environmental change led to new trait distribution, the shell thickening trait underwent natural selection, and mussels with this trait had better survival chances.

Step-by-step explanation:

The adaptation of mussels developing thicker shells to protect themselves from crabs suggests the following three statements:

1. A change in the environment led to a new distribution of traits in a population. This is supported by the fact that mussels with thicker shells are more likely to survive crab predation, highlighting the role of the environment in shaping the trait distribution.
2. The trait of shell thickening underwent natural selection. Mussels with thicker shells have a survival advantage and are more likely to pass on their genes to the next generation.
3. Mussels with the shell thickening trait had a greater chance of survival. This indicates that natural selection favored individuals with this trait as they have better protection against predation.

Option 3, which states that the trait for shell thickening will not be selected by future mussel generations, does not follow the principles of natural selection if the environmental pressure from crab predation continues. Moreover, Option 4 is not consistent with natural selection, which does not predict a specific split in trait distribution but favors the survival of any individuals with beneficial adaptations.