Multiple Choice
To calculate the human population density of your community, you would need to know the number of people living there and __________.
50. Population Ecology
Introduction to Population Ecology
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Herring gulls fiercely defend the areas around their nests in cliff-top breeding colonies. Within the colony they would show a __________ dispersion pattern.
A
random
B
dense
C
density-independent
D
clumped
E
uniform
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the concept of dispersion patterns: Dispersion patterns describe how individuals in a population are spaced out across the area they inhabit. The main types are random, uniform, and clumped.
Identify the characteristics of a uniform dispersion pattern: In a uniform dispersion pattern, individuals are evenly spaced. This often occurs due to territorial behavior, where individuals maintain a certain distance from each other to defend resources or space.
Consider the behavior of herring gulls: Herring gulls fiercely defend the areas around their nests, which suggests territorial behavior. This behavior is consistent with a uniform dispersion pattern, as each gull maintains a specific area around its nest.
Eliminate other options: A random dispersion pattern would imply no specific pattern or spacing, which does not align with territorial defense. A clumped pattern would suggest groups of individuals clustered together, which is not typical for territorial animals. Density-independent is not a dispersion pattern but rather a factor affecting population size.
Conclude that the correct dispersion pattern for herring gulls in this scenario is uniform, as their territorial behavior leads to even spacing between nests.
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