A drought hits the habitat of a semi-aquatic bird population. All ponds dry up, and fish populations decline. There are two groups of birds in the population that differ in leg length and diet. Long-legged birds eat fish, while short-legged birds eat insects. The drought has little effect on insect populations.

Question

What is the main selective pressure in this scenario?

(1 point)
Responses

drought

insect population

leg length

fish population

Answer 1

The main selective pressure in this scenario is the decline in fish population. This is because the drought has caused the ponds to dry up, leading to a scarcity of fish, which are the main food source for the long-legged birds. This decline in food availability puts pressure on the long-legged birds to either adapt or find alternative food sources to survive.