Question

Consider the following scenario:

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.

What is the main selective pressure in this scenario?
(1 point)

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

The main selective pressure in this scenario is the availability of food. With the ponds drying up and fish populations declining, the long-legged birds that rely on fish for their diet will face increased competition and potential starvation. This will put pressure on the long-legged birds to adapt their diet or find alternative food sources in order to survive. On the other hand, the short-legged birds that eat insects, which are not affected by the drought, will have an advantage and a greater chance of surviving and passing on their genes to the next generation. This situation highlights how environmental changes can drive natural selection by favoring certain traits or behaviors that enhance survival and reproductive success.