A Developer Plans to Chop Down Several Healthy Trees on Her

question 48

Essay

A developer plans to chop down several healthy trees on her property, burn them, and put a huge concrete pad in their place. Why are these activities environmentally unwise?

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Definitions:

Reproductive Isolation

A collection of mechanisms, behaviors, and physiological processes that prevent the members of two different species that cross or mate from producing offspring, or ensure any offspring are sterile.

Mating Patterns

The behaviors and strategies organisms use to find, select, and mate with partners, which can vary greatly among species.

Gamete Incompatibility

A reproductive barrier where gametes (sperm and egg) from different species fail to attract each other or function properly, preventing fertilization.

Parapatric Speciation

Speciation pattern in which populations speciate while in contact along a common border.