Question

Darwin realized that Malthus' ideas about human population growth applied even more to other organisms, such as why:

a. oysters produce a million eggs, but only a few survive
b. mammals carefully raise one or two young per year
c. elephants are overpopulating the earth
d. insect populations grow unchecked each year

Answer 1

Charles Darwin realized that Malthus' ideas about human population growth applied to other organisms because populations tend to increase faster than food resources can support. Organisms, like oysters and insects, have evolved different strategies to cope with limited resources and ensure their survival.

Step-by-step explanation:

In his theory of natural selection, Charles Darwin realized that Malthus' ideas about human population growth applied even more to other organisms. Malthus observed that populations tend to increase exponentially, while food resources increase at a much slower rate. This creates a struggle for existence, where organisms must compete for limited resources to survive. For example, oysters produce a million eggs, but only a few survive because of limited resources. On the other hand, mammals like humans carefully raise one or two young per year, ensuring their survival. Insect populations can grow unchecked each year because they have evolved strategies to rapidly reproduce and adapt to changing environments.