Use the Graph and Information Provided in the Paragraph Below

question 49

Multiple Choice

Use the graph and information provided in the paragraph below to answer the following questions.
Flycatcher birds that migrate from Africa to Europe feed their nestlings a diet that is almost exclusively moth caterpillars. The graph below shows the mean dates of arrival, bird hatching, and peak caterpillar season for the years 1980 and 2000.

-Why were ecologists concerned about the shift in the peak caterpillar season from June 3, 1980, to May 15, 2000?

• A) The caterpillars would have eaten much of the foliage of the trees where flycatchers would have nested, rendering their nests more open to predation.
• B) The earlier hatching of caterpillars would compete with other insect larval forms which the flycatchers would also use to feed their young.
• C) The 2000 flycatcher nestlings would miss the peak caterpillar season and might not be as well fed.
• D) The flycatchers would have to migrate sooner to match their brood-rearing to the time of peak caterpillar season.
• E) Pesticides, which have a negative effect on the ecosystem, would have to be used to control the earlier outbreak of caterpillar hatching.

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Definitions:

Collagen Fibers

Ropelike protein of the extracellular matrix.

Dermis

Dense irregular connective tissue that forms the deep layer of the skin.

Diencephalon

A region of the brain that includes structures such as the thalamus and hypothalamus, involved in sensory and autonomic functions.

Anterior Pituitary

The front portion of the pituitary gland, producing and releasing hormones that regulate various bodily functions.