Final answer:
The population size of rabbits might be limited by factors such as predation, food availability, disease, and natural selection based on coat color adaptation, with diversifying selection favoring rabbits that blend into the rocky environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The habitat supports ten thousand rabbits, but it has the capacity for twenty thousand. This discrepancy might be due to various factors including predation, food availability, disease, and genetic makeup of the population that affects its ability to survive. An example is provided by a hypothetical population where gray and Himalayan rabbits are better adapted to a rocky environment compared to white rabbits, resulting in diversifying selection. This natural selection favors those rabbits that can blend into the environment, thus potentially limiting the number of white rabbits in the population. Additionally, issues such as habitat quality and available cover can significantly influence rabbit populations; badgers, for example, are influenced by forest cover. Large individuals are also at a higher risk of predation, which can influence population size.