What is the most likely explanation of the data shown below?
A 3 column table with 6 rows. Column 1 is labeled Year with entries 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Column 2 is labeled Dark moths with entries 50 percent, 59 percent, 68 percent, 80 percent, 95 percent, 100 percent. Column 3 is labeled Light moths with entries 50 percent 41 percent, 32 percent, 20 percent, 5 percent, 0 percent.
a.
There has been a drought in the area that is affecting all life forms.
b.
The population of natural predators of the moths has gotten smaller.
c.
The moths are living in an environment with light trees.
d.
The moths are living in an environment with dark trees.
Please select the best answer from the choices provided
A
B
C
D
D. The data suggests that the moths are adapting to their environment by becoming darker in color when living among dark trees.
To determine the most likely explanation of the data shown, let's analyze the information provided in the table.
Column 1: The "Year" column represents the passage of time, with entries ranging from 0 to 5.
Column 2: The "Dark moths" column shows the percentage of dark moths in the population over time, with an increasing trend: 50%, 59%, 68%, 80%, 95%, 100%.
Column 3: The "Light moths" column shows the percentage of light moths in the population over time, with a decreasing trend: 50%, 41%, 32%, 20%, 5%, 0%.
Based on this information, the most likely explanation is that the moths are living in an environment with dark trees. This is indicated by the increasing percentage of dark moths and the decreasing percentage of light moths over time. Therefore, the correct answer is option D.