Question

Please provide supplementary statement with an example for each bulletin point.

• Leaf-cutter ants collect leaves from plants in the rainforest with the purpose to__Feed___ a fungus that in return provides   ______Nutrients___ to the ants.
  • Supplementary statement:

• Many harmless species appear to mimic noxious ones. For instance, non-poisonous king snakes resemble poisonous coral snakes, and syrphid flies look like the more aggressive wasps. This evolutionary adaptation is specifically called _____Bateson mimicry_____________.
• • Supplementary statement:

• After a bird survey of the forest along North Creek a group of students reported the following species and their abundances: 5 American Crows, 35 Dark-eyed Junco, 8 Song Sparrows, 3 Anna’s hummingbirds, 2 Spotted Towhees and 1 Wilson Snipe. The species richness representing this community is ___High richness____ with a __Low__ evenness.
  • Supplementary statement:

• Moths resting on the trunks of trees often resemble the tree bark such that potential predators do not perceive them as prey. This is an example of _____Crypsis or Camouflage___________.
  • Supplementary statement:

• A ______Survivorship_______ curve summarizes the pattern of survival in the population. Patterns of survival con be determined by producing a ___Cohort_____ life table using data of individuals of similar age, or by producing a static life table, using information of the mortality of a number of individuals of different ages.
  • Supplementary statement:

Answer 1

• Leaf-cutter ants collect leaves and cut them into pieces and grind them. They then cultivate fungus on these leaves. The fungus serves as a nutrient medium for these ants. They take caution as no pest should hinder the growth of fungus. They then feed on the fungus and get their nutrition. This relationship is an example of mutualism in which both the species get benefitted.

• Sometimes prey, to save themselves, mimic certain other harmful organisms. Non-poisonous king snake resembles a poisonous coral snake to appear harmful in front of their predators. Same in the case of syrphid flies they resemble as wasps which are tasteless and have stings. It is an adaptive feature of prey to protect themselves from predators.

• Species richness is based on the number of species present in an area. If there are a large number of different species present, then the community is said to be of high richness. If there is less biodiversity, then it is now low richness. On the other hand, if the number of each species is almost even i.e., nearly the same count, then it is said to be in high evenness and vice versa. It this case there is a total of 7 species, but their count is uneven hence the species richness of this community is high with low evenness.

• Moths while resting used to orient their wings according to the pattern of the bark. It helps them to camouflage while resting. Their wings resemble the bark of the tree trunk where they rest. The color and pattern of the bark help them not to get located by the predators. Predators are unable to catch their prey because the background provides the best suitable place for moths to rest by presenting visual camouflage.

• Survivorship curve helps to determine the survival frequency of the individuals of a species. It is based on natality rate, mortality rate, and average lifespan. The cohort table is formed by observing the individuals of species born in the same year.

  Survivor ship curve is of 3 types: -

  Type I: - it is also known as a convex curve. Here the number of individuals in early age and middle is much more than the individuals in later stages of life.

  Type II: - it is also known as the diagonal curve where the number of individuals remains almost constant in the early middle of later life stages.

  Type III: - it is also known as the concave curve. Here the number of individuals taking birth is very high due to chances of predation and then it gets reduces in further stages.