Question

The shells of some marine snails are highly variable, with some snail shells being solid colors and others having stripes. Predation by birds is a major source of mortality for the snails. Scientists studying these snails found that while 47 percent of the snail population was striped, 56 percent of the snails eaten by birds were striped. What could scientists conclude about the snails?

Answer 1

The correct answer to this open question is the following.

Scientists can conclude that snails with shells have better adaptations opportunities and have less risk to be eaten by birds, that the striped snails. Scientists call this phenomenon "positive selection," a type of natural selection described for the first time by Charles Darwin in his important book "On the Origins of Species." The hard shell of snails helps them to adapt to the environment and to survive in comparison to the striped snails. In the natural evolution of the species, the tendency is that striped snails are going to be less and less with time.

Answer 2

The striped snails have a disadvantegous feature (striped shells) that is a major cause of predation by the birds. This explains the low percentage of the striped snails (47%) that are being hunted due to their ease at being visible.

Furthermore, it shows the Adaptive Feature by the striped snails to adjust to the change in order to increase survival by having a solid color she'll, thus being less spotted.

This is a clear sign of Evolution as pressure on their survival causes them to adapt to the demand.

Failure to do this leads to the possible extinction of the species