You Are an Ornithologist in the Twenty-Second Century Studying a Tropical

question 16

Essay

You are an ornithologist in the twenty-second century studying a tropical bird species that has expanded its range from its original location in Central America to where it currently exists on either side of the Rocky Mountains in North America. This range expansion is a result of a warming climate dating back to the late twentieth century. As you conduct population censuses, you realize there are phenotypic differences between populations located on the eastern and western sides of the range. You hypothesize the species has become a "ring species" as a result of the geographic isolation established by the mountains. If it was truly a ring species, what would you expect to see when you analyze the DNA of the populations and compare them to one another?

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Definitions:

Independent Learning

A learning method where individuals take the initiative, with or without the help of others, to diagnose their learning needs, formulate learning goals, identify resources, and evaluate learning outcomes.

Common Objects

Items that are familiar or regularly found in a given context or environment, easily recognizable by most people.

Private Speech

Self-directed speech or internal dialogue that individuals, especially children, use to guide their actions and thoughts.

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