This is a great cartoon to use for class discussion because the best answer is "it depends"! Organisms within populations typically vary in many respects. Unless important selection pressures such as herbicides, pollinator issues, and drought are known, it is impossible to predict who will likely survive. "A" may have a greater chance of surviving to reproduce than "B" if an herbicide is used, but not if hungry caterpillars are a problem. "D" may be a real winner at attracting more insects, but may require more water than "C". This cartoon could also be a good starting place for a discussion on probability. Just because a plant has a certain characteristic, survival is not guaranteed. A child running through the yard could easily crush a particular flower at random.
See also main cartoons page and Biology Lessons home page.