A seriously maladaptive trait is unlikely to persist in a given animal population for long, since there is enough genetic variation in populations that some members will lack the trait. Those lacking the trait will compete more successfully for the available resources. Hence these members of the population survive and reproduce at a higher rate, crowding out those with the maladaptive trait. The proposition that those lacking a maladaptive trait will compete more successfully for the available resources figures in the argument in which one of the following ways? ['It is an intermediate conclusion of the argument.', 'It expresses a view that the argument as a whole is designed to discredit.', 'It is a premise of the argument.', 'It presents evidence that the argument attempts to undermine.']