In an ecosystem where most flowers are long and bell-shaped, there are two varieties of hummingbird: birds with short beaks and birds with long beaks. What is the most likely hummingbird population composition?
a
only long-beaked hummingbirds
b
more short-beaked hummingbirds
c
more long-beaked hummingbirds
d
only short-beaked hummingbirds
c - more long-beaked hummingbirds. This is because the long and bell-shaped flowers are better suited for long-beaked hummingbirds, allowing them to reach the nectar more easily. Over time, natural selection would favor the adaptation of longer beaks in hummingbirds for efficient nectar collection, leading to an increase in the long-beaked hummingbird population.
In an ecosystem where most flowers are long and bell-shaped, the most likely hummingbird population composition would be:
c) more long-beaked hummingbirds.
This is because the long and bell-shaped flowers are likely to have nectar deep within the flower, which can be easily accessed by hummingbirds with long beaks. These hummingbirds would have an advantage in feeding on these flowers compared to the hummingbirds with short beaks. Over time, the population of long-beaked hummingbirds is expected to increase relative to the population of short-beaked hummingbirds.