The main selective pressure in this scenario is the fish population. With the significant decline in fish populations, the long-legged birds that rely on fish for food face a greater challenge in terms of survival and reproduction. Meanwhile, the short-legged birds that eat insects remain unaffected by this change. Thus, the changing availability of fish creates the selective pressure that influences the survival of the bird population based on their leg length and diet.
Natural Selection Unit Test
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Question
Consider the following scenario:
A significant decline in fish populations occurs in the habitat of a semi-aquatic bird population. There are two groups of birds in the population that differ in leg length and diet. Long-legged birds eat fish, while short-legged birds eat insects. The insect population remains stable.
What is the main selective pressure in this scenario?
(1 point)
Responses
fish population
fish population
bird population
bird population
leg length
leg length
insect population
1 answer