Question

In 1859, a small colony of 24 rabbits was brought to Australia. By 1928 it was estimated that there were 500 million rabbits in a 1-million square mile section of Australia. Which statement describes a condition that probably contributed to the increase in the rabbit population?(1) The rabbits were affected by many limiting factors.(2) The rabbits reproduced by asexual reproduction.(3) The rabbits were unable to adapt to the environment.(4) The rabbits had no natural predators in Australia.

Answer 1

The rabbits had no natural predators  in Australia.

Explanation:

• 'The rabbits were affected by many limiting factors.' This could not be a possibility because the limiting factors have a negative impact on growth rate of population. The limiting factors hinder the growth of population so if there were too many limiting factors affecting the rabbit, then the growth in population was not possible.
• The rabbits reproduced by asexual reproduction. Rabbits are mammals and it is a known fact that they reproduce sexually. Thus this option is not possible.
• The rabbits were unable to adapt to the environment If the rabbits were not adapted to the environment then they must not have survived efficiently in Australia. Hence, this is not a possibility.
• Thus, the only possibility that remains is that , The rabbits had no natural predators in Australia' Otherwise, the predators would have preyed upon the Rabbits and there population must not have increased in this rate.