In Southern Africa, Jackals Are Major Predators of Livestock on Farms

question 33

Multiple Choice

In southern Africa, jackals are major predators of livestock on farms. As a control measure, farmers often kill jackals they find on their farms. Scientists Liaan Minnie and colleagues predicted that increased mortality of jackals would result in altered life history traits of this carnivore species. To test their predictions, they compared the number of pregnant female jackals in different age classes in populations that were hunted (on farms) to those that were not hunted (in conservation reserves) . The resulting pattern shown in the first graph is the proportion of females that are pregnant in each age class. The scientists also collected demographic data to construct age structure diagrams (second graph) of jackals in (a) hunted populations (farms) and (b) populations that were not hunted (reserves) . In the age structure diagram, males are plotted on the left, females are plotted on the right, and the median age class is denoted with hatched bars.
Source: Minnie, L., Gaylard, A., & Kerley, G. I. (2016) . Compensatory life‐history responses of a mesopredator may undermine carnivore management efforts. Journal of Applied Ecology, 53(2) , 379-387.
-Jackals live in socially organized groups, which means the scientists found the jackals in a ________ dispersion pattern.

• A) uniform
• B) clumped
• C) random

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Definitions:

Bullied

The experience of being intimidated, harassed, or abused by others, typically in a social, school, or work context.

Disclosed

Made known or revealed, often something that was previously secret or private.

Fine Motor Skills

The ability to perform detailed movements with the small muscles of the hands and fingers, such as writing or buttoning a shirt.

Kinesthetic

Related to or involving the perception of body movements and the sense of muscle movement, position, and strain.