After a bottleneck event, the population of rabbits in an area has significantly decreased. A decade later, the population of rabbits in an area has significantly decreased. A decade later, the population of the rabbits recovers to its original numbers. Which statement is correct about the rabbits?

Question

After a bottleneck event, the population of rabbits in an area has significantly decreased. A decade later, the population of rabbits in an area has significantly decreased. A decade later, the population of the rabbits recovers to its original numbers. Which statement is correct about the rabbits?

A. They are more likely to survive environmental changes because of the bottleneck event.
B. They are as likely to survive environmental changes because their population has recovered.
C. They are as likely to survive environmental changes because they survived the bottleneck event.
D. They are less likely to survive environmental changes because of the bottleneck event.

Answer 1

C. They are as likely to survive environmental changes because they survived the bottleneck event.

The fact that the rabbit population was able to recover from the bottleneck event and return to its original numbers suggests that they have genetic diversity and resilience to environmental changes. Surviving a bottleneck event indicates that the population has already gone through a significant challenge and come out the other side, making them potentially better equipped to handle future environmental changes.