Consider the following scenario: A drought hits the habitat of a semi-aquatic bird population. All ponds dry up, and fish populations decline. 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 drought has little effect on insect populations. What is the main selective pressure in this scenario?
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The main selective pressure in this scenario would be the availability of food resources. With the ponds drying up and fish populations declining, the long-legged birds would be at a disadvantage as their primary food source becomes scarce. On the other hand, the short-legged birds that rely on insects as their main food source would have a higher chance of survival and reproduction in this situation. Over time, this environmental change could lead to a shift in the population towards more individuals with shorter legs, as they are better adapted to feed on the available food resource.
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