* Resource availability: Opossums are often found in areas with abundant food sources like forests, fields, and even urban environments. These food-rich areas attract more opossums, leading to clustering.
* Social behavior: While not highly social, opossums do show some tendency to gather in small groups, especially during breeding season or when raising young.
* Limited mobility: Opossums are relatively slow-moving animals, and their limited dispersal ability contributes to clumping.
In contrast to clumped dispersion:
* Uniform dispersion would involve evenly spaced individuals, which is uncommon for opossums due to their resource-driven behavior.
* Random dispersion would see individuals randomly scattered across the landscape, which is also unlikely given their resource-dependent nature.
Therefore, clumped dispersion is the most likely pattern for opossums, reflecting their preference for areas with ample food and their tendency to gather in small groups.