Final answer:
The sandy inland mouse, along with other animals, has adapted to its environment through natural selection. Such adaptations are evidenced by coloration and body size that confer survival advantages. These biological principles also explain behavioral and physiological traits seen in different species, indicating their evolution over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question seems to be focused on understanding how the sandy inland mouse is adapted to its environment, which involves concepts of adaptation, natural selection, and evolution in the context of Biology. Adaptations such as dark coloring in forest-dwelling deer mice and sand-colored fur in mice from sandy regions are a direct result of natural selection, where the phenotype best suited to the environment increases an organism's chances of survival and reproduction. Similarly, changes in body size distribution due to predation pressures can be shown graphically in a histogram that illustrates directional selection, where one extreme phenotype is favored.
Female spotted sandpipers competing for resource-rich territories suggest a mating system influenced by territory quality, potentially leading to polyandry or female-dominated mating systems. This is driven by the need to secure the best possible resources for offspring. In an environment with selective pressures like cold climates and predation by hawks, one can expect a stabilizing selection that favors an intermediate body size, which is depicted through diagrammatic representation.
The inverse relationship between population density and body size in Australian mammals, and the rarity of small warm-blooded animals at the poles, are discussed to explain the concept of energy balance and survival in different habitats. Lastly, the camouflage exhibited by various species such as crabs, praying mantises, and zebras serves as an excellent example of adaptations that help in predator evasion.