Final answer:
The survival rate of a breeding population's offspring over 5 years can fluctuate unpredictably due to various environmental and biological factors, despite the initial increase in the breeding population's survival rate.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the survival rate of a breeding population and its offspring over a period of time, we must understand that several factors contribute to these rates, such as environmental resources, predation pressures, and disease. If the survival rate of a breeding population increases, it does not necessarily mean that the survival rate of its offspring will increase proportionally. Other factors, such as the carrying capacity of the environment, availability of resources, or changes in the predator-prey relationship, can cause the offspring survival rate to fluctuate unpredictably over time—option D. For example, if the major food source of seals declines due to pollution or overfishing, the number of seal deaths may increase, while the number of births may also increase, keeping the population size constant despite the changing survival rates.