Biology: Life on Earth
10th Edition
ISBN: 9780321729712
Author: Gerald Audesirk, Teresa Audesirk, Bruce E. Byers
Publisher: Benjamin Cummings
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Chapter 15, Problem 3AC
By the 1940s, the whooping crane population had been reduced to only 15 individuals. Thanks to conservation measures, its numbers are now increasing. What special evolutionary problems do whooping cranes face
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Darwin’s finches have different beaks in terms of size and shape to be able to eat different food sources like insects, nectar, and seeds. Cactus finches have longer, more pointed beaks to probe cactus flowers compared to their relatives, the ground finches.
If a plant disease killed a large portion of the cacti on the Galapagos islands, what would the future populations of finches look like in terms of beak size and shape? Use your knowledge of natural selection to determine which option is most likely.
Ground finches would survive and pass on their shorter and wider beaks, so there would be a higher proportion of finches in future generations that have short and wide beaks.
Ground finches would survive and pass on their beaks, but they would mate with the remaining cactus finches, creating a new hybrid that is somewhere between short versus long and narrow versus wide.
Cactus finches would compete for food with ground finches and exhibit resource partitioning, so the beaks…
In 1970, Atlantic leatherback sea turtle populations were very low, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the species as endangered. Over the next several decades, steps were taken to protect turtle nests and prevent accidental killing of turtles at sea by fishing fleets. As a result, the population of leatherbacks nesting on beaches in Florida has been growing exponentially (FIG. E31-3). What factors probably contributed to this exponential growth? Can exponential growth continue? If not,what factors are likely to cause the population to stabilize?
What major environmental change happened in 1977 and how did this impact the finches?
Chapter 15 Solutions
Biology: Life on Earth
Ch. 15 - The ________ provides a simple mathematical model...Ch. 15 - 2. Different versions of the same gene are called...Ch. 15 - An organism's ________ refers to the specific...Ch. 15 - 4. A random form of evolution is called _________....Ch. 15 - Competition is most intense between members of...Ch. 15 - 6. The evolutionary fitness of an organism is...Ch. 15 - 1. What is a gene pool? How would you determine...Ch. 15 - 2. Define equilibrium population. Outline the...Ch. 15 - How does population size affect the likelihood of...Ch. 15 - If you measured the allele frequencies of a gene...
Ch. 15 - 5. People like to say that “you can’t prove a...Ch. 15 - 6. Describe the three ways in which natural...Ch. 15 - What is sexual selection? How is sexual selection...Ch. 15 - In North America, the average height of adult...Ch. 15 - Malaria is rare in North America. In populations...Ch. 15 - By the 1940s, the whooping crane population had...Ch. 15 - Prob. 4ACCh. 15 - A preview question for Chapter 16: A species is...
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- Why might captive-breeding programs that reintroduce species into natural environments fail?arrow_forwardA population of interbreeding birds has been split by a geological event after which the isolated part of the population started to evolve into an incipient species with different mating rituals. Due to a recent environmental change the two populations are now able to potentially mate again in what is called a hybrid zone. Mating does take place every now and then but the hybrid offspring appear less able to survive. As a consequence, mating rituals start to diverge even further. We call this process of continued divergence? O Fusion O Behavioral isolation Reinforcement O Postzygotic isolation O Stabilityarrow_forwardThe current wild population is estimated to be about 50 individuals. However, a new threat to red wolves has arisen: hybridization with coyotes (Canis latrans), which have become more numerous in the areas inhabited by red wolves. Although red wolves and coyotes differ in morphology and DNA, they are capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. Social behavior is the main reproductive barrier between the species and is more easily overcome when same-species mates are rare. For this reason, some people think that the endangered status of the red wolf should be withdrawn and resources should not be spent to protect what is not a “pure” species.arrow_forward
- As a genetically homogeneous species, elephant seals have a diminished capacity to evolve in response to environmental changes that may occur in the future—the entire population will be affected, to about the same degree, by any adverse changes. Do you think that elephant seals, regardless of their abundance, should be considered potentially endangered for the foreseeable future? Why or why not?arrow_forwardTests on wild cheetahs have shown that there is low genetic diversity among individuals. Wildlife biologists and conservationists are worried about what this means for the survival of this species. Why is low genetic variability a big problem when it comes to a species survival in a changing habitat?arrow_forwardConservation biologists have altered the evolution of salmon populations in captive-breeding programs. Wild female salmon tend to produce fewer large eggs because the large eggs contain more nutrients for the off spring, giving each individual a greater chance to survive. After just a few generations, however, captive-bred females now lay greater numbers of small eggs. Suggest a possible adaptive advantage for many small eggs in the captive-bred environment. What would you predict regarding the reproductive success of captive-bred females released in the wild?arrow_forward
- The red wolf (Canis rufus) was once widespread in the southeastern United States but was declared to be extinct in the wild. Biologists bred captive red wolf individuals and reintroduced them into areas of eastern North Carolina, where they are federally protected as endangered species. The current wild population is estimated to be about 100 individuals. However, a new threat to red wolves has arisen: hybridization with coyotes (Canis latrans), which have become more numerous in the areas inhabited by red wolves. Although red wolves and coyotes differ in morphology and DNA, they are capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. Social behavior is the main reproductive barrier between the species and is more easily overcome when same-species mates are rare. For this reason, some people think that the endangered status of the red wolf should be withdrawn and resources should not be spent to protect what is not a “pure” species. Do you agree? Why or why not?arrow_forwardAccording to IUCN red list, what is the status of red panda?arrow_forwardWhat is one thing in our modern environment that we are better adapted to than in our hunter/gatherer past environment? How does it increase our fitness?arrow_forward
- What is the common ancestor of the Galapagos finches? What are the thirteen Galapagos finches? What characteristics make each of the thirteen finches a distinct species? How is each finch isolated from the others? What habitat does each finch live?arrow_forwardhow has natural selection affected the bunny population and resulted in evolution of this species?arrow_forwardConsider the following scenario. A large population of lizards occupies an extensive range that is relatively uniform ecologically (i.e., in terms of climate and co-occurring species). At a certain point in time, the ancestral population becomes divided down the middle into two similar-sized portions by a barrier that completely prevents the movement of lizards between the descendant populations. Around the same time, a major flood occurs, and a small number of individuals are swept away from the mainland on floating debris and arrive alive on a small offshore island that has no lizards of this species. The habitat on the island is similar to their homeland, but not identical (the climate is slightly different, many mainland species of plants and animals are absent, and a few island species of plants and animals are different from any present on the mainland. Thus, there are now three separate populations. Compare and contrast the expected evolutionary consequences for these…arrow_forward
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