Leigh Van Valen (1973) Tested the Relationship Between Species Longevity

question 16

Multiple Choice

Leigh Van Valen (1973) tested the relationship between species longevity and extinction probability. Do these data support or reject the hypothesis that the longer a taxon has existed, the less likely it is to go extinct?

• A) These data would support the hypothesis; there is a strong correlation between the age of the taxa and the probability of extinction.
• B) These data would reject the hypothesis; there is no relationship between age of the taxa and the probability of extinction.
• C) These data are inconclusive; the pattern of the relationship between taxa longevity and probability of extinction is unclear.
• D) These data indicate that the opposite of the hypothesis is true, that longer-lived taxa are much more likely to go extinct.

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