A population of rabbits has individuals with fur coloring that ranges from white to brown. The population lives in a temperate deciduous forest where the summers are mild and average about 50^circ F The winters are often below freezing If warmer temperatures last longer into the fall and the average temperature in the winter is getting warmer, what do you expect to happen to the population? The percentage of the population with brown fur will decrease The percentage of the population with white fur will decrease. The population will increase in size, but the color percentages will remain unchanged The population will decrease in size, but the color percentages will remain unchanged

## Step 1: Understand the problem<br />The problem is asking us to predict the impact of changing weather patterns on a population of rabbits with varying fur colors. The rabbits live in a temperate deciduous forest where the summers are mild and winters are often below freezing. The question suggests that warmer temperatures are lasting longer into the fall and the average winter temperature is getting warmer.<br /><br />## Step 2: Analyze the impact of changing weather patterns<br />Warmer temperatures and longer warm periods into the fall could mean that the rabbits with brown fur, which is more suited to warmer climates, may have a survival advantage. This is because they would be better camouflaged in the environment and less likely to be preyed upon. On the other hand, rabbits with white fur, which is better suited to snowy conditions, may have a disadvantage in a warmer climate.<br /><br />## Step 3: Predict the impact on the population<br />Given this analysis, we can predict that the percentage of the population with brown fur will increase, while the percentage of the population with white fur will decrease. This is because the brown-furred rabbits would have a survival advantage in the changing climate, leading to an increase in their proportion within the population.