Question

Driving from Maine to Florida, you observe that squirrels living in the southeastern United States are much thinner than squirrels living in the northeastern part of the country. You tell your friend that you have a theory that squirrels living in the northeast have greater fat reserves for the winter months when food is scarce. Which of the statements are true? Select all that apply.

Answer 1

Squirrels in the northeastern U.S. likely have greater fat reserves due to the colder climate and less stable food sources compared to those in the southeast. They store fat for energy and insulation during winter, similar to other wildlife that depends on fat reserves for survival during food scarcity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The observation that squirrels living in the northeastern United States are much thicker than those in the southeastern part could be related to energy storage requirements due to the colder climates in the north. In areas like Maine, which is densely forested and experiences harsh winters, squirrels and other animals need to accumulate fat to survive periods when food is scarce.

This fat acts not only as an energy reserve but also provides insulation against the cold. Conversely, in the warmer southeastern United States, such as Florida, the milder winters and more consistent food supply might lead to squirrels with less body fat.

Several factors contribute to why animals store energy as fat. Resource competition, like that seen between the gray and red squirrels in Europe, where the gray outcompetes the red for food, can lead to different fat storage strategies. Additionally, the concept of homeostasis is crucial; stored body fat allows animals to maintain stable internal conditions when external resources are limited. Animals such as polar bears dramatically illustrate this principle by accumulating large fat reserves to get through the winter months without food.

It is important to consider the role of the environment in shaping the physiological adaptations of wildlife. Regional climate, food availability, and competition are all significant factors in why animals like squirrels might have varying levels of fat reserves depending on their location.

Answer 2

See the options and the answer below

Step-by-step explanation:

The available options to the question are:

1. Your statement is a valid scientific theory.
2. Your statement uses the word "theory" in a non-scientific, colloquial way.
3. Your statement is a hypothesis rather than a scientific theory.
4. Your statement is not a theory but a fact.

The correct answer would be that:

• the statement uses the word 'theory' in a non-scientific, colloquial way.
• the statement is a hypothesis rather than a scientific theory.

A hypothesis is a generalized statement with little or no experimental test. When a hypothesis is tested using a suitable experiment (s), it can either become valid or invalid. In order words, hypotheses are falsifiable. A theory on the other hand is a hypothesis that has been tested several times by independent researchers and found to be true.

In the illustration, the statement made concerning the squirrels is based purely on guess and not on fact. The use of the word 'theory' in the statement is totally unscientific. Only suitable experiments can prove or disprove the statement.

The correct options are 2 and 3.