Imagine You Are an Evolutionary Biologist Studying Reproductive Trade-Offs in Populations

question 22

Essay

Imagine you are an evolutionary biologist studying reproductive trade-offs in populations of guppies that have been separated by the formation of barrier waterfalls. The upstream population faces lower predation than the downstream population, and the predators on the downstream side are larger and can eat any guppy offspring, no matter the size. Make a prediction about the reproductive strategies you might find and explain the trade-offs faced by the reproducing female guppies on each side of the barrier.

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Definitions:

Tolerance

The capacity of an organism to endure exposure to a particular substance or environmental condition without adverse effects.

Hemlock

A type of plant belonging to the family Apiaceae, some species of which are toxic, and others, such as the trees in the genus Tsuga, are valuable timber resources.

Pine Cones

The seed-bearing structures of pine trees, which play a crucial role in the reproductive process of these plants.

Primary Succession

is the process of ecosystem development or recovery on a site where no biological community previously existed, such as on bare rock or lava flows.