Question 1

Which classification scheme or metric is generally most helpful for comparing life histories across broad ranges of size or taxonomy?

Accepted Answer

Charnov's dimensionless ratio (c) is a metric that allows for the comparison of life histories across different species by removing the effects of size and time, making it useful for broad comparisons across diverse taxa.

Question 2

Suppose that the average adult life span of a gorilla is 25 years and that these animals reach sexual maturity at 5 years of age. Which organism would have a similar value of c (Charnov's dimensionless ratio) to that of a gorilla?

Accepted Answer

The dimensionless ratio c is calculated as the ratio of age at maturity to average adult life span. For gorillas, this is 5/25 = 0.2. For the bird, it is 2/10 = 0.2, which is similar to that of the gorilla.

Question 3

Sequential hermaphroditism and paedomorphic development are both adaptations that allow individuals to take advantage of

Accepted Answer

Both sequential hermaphroditism and paedomorphic development are strategies that optimize reproductive success by adapting to the most favorable conditions for reproduction.

Question 4

Which statement about clownfish is false?

Accepted Answer

Sequential hermaphroditism is not extremely rare among fish; it is a known reproductive strategy in several fish species, including clownfish.

Question 5

Refer to the figure.
  This figure is based on data from a study of how ambient temperature during development affects adult body size. The figure shows data for individuals of a single genotype in a single species. A total of 20 individuals were raised under different temperature treatments. 
-The blue bars show the average body size of individuals for each temperature treatment, and the black bars provide a measure of the variation in body size recorded for each treatment. Which developmental temperature led to the highest variability in offspring size? Which temperature led to the lowest variability in offspring size? How did you assess the effect of temperature on body size variation? What is the term that best describes this pattern?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
  This figure...

Question 6

Refer to the figure.
  This figure is based on data from a study of how ambient temperature during development affects adult body size. The figure shows data for individuals of a single genotype in a single species. A total of 20 individuals were raised under different temperature treatments. 
-The blue bars show the average body size of individuals for each temperature treatment, and the black bars provide a measure of the variation in body size recorded for each treatment. Suppose that this species is an animal. In this animal species, larger individuals have a much higher reproductive output, but smaller individuals are better at surviving unpredictable weather (especially colder temperatures). Over a long time scale, how might the average size of individuals of this species be affected by the predictability of average temperatures?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
  This figure...

Question 7

Refer to the figure.
  
-The figure is based on data from a study of the body size and reproductive output of individual females of two different species (species 1 and species 2) over time. Each figure illustrates the growth and reproduction of each individual over its life span. Based on the body size and reproductive output of these two individuals, is there any evidence of a trade-off? Describe evidence that you think supports or does not support the hypothesis that there is a trade-off.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
  
-The figure...

Question 8

Refer to the figure.
 
- The figure is based on data from a study of the body size and reproductive output of individual females of two different species (species 1 and species 2) over time. Each figure illustrates the growth and reproduction of each individual over its life span. Suppose that body size is positively correlated with egg size. Which species do you predict would produce larger eggs? Why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
 
- The figure...

Question 9

Refer to the figure.
 
- The figure is based on data from a study of the body size and reproductive output of individual females of two different species (species 1 and species 2) over time. Each figure illustrates the growth and reproduction of each individual over its life span. Suppose that the patterns in the figures stay as they are, but that the number of eggs are instead the number of seeds of different plant species. If smaller individuals produce smaller seeds, which species would you expect to have higher dispersal capabilities? Explain your reasoning.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
 
- The figure...

Question 10

Refer to the figure.
  
-The figure is based on data from a study of the body size and reproductive output of individual females of two different species (species 1 and species 2) over time. Each figure illustrates the growth and reproduction of each individual over its life span. Assuming these individuals are representative of their species, compare the life span and lifetime reproduction of these two species. How long did each individual survive? Compare the overall lifetime reproductive output of each individual. Which species has higher overall reproductive output, and how many eggs would the individual produce?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
  
-The figure...

Question 11

Refer to the figure.
 
- The figure is based on data from a study of the body size and reproductive output of individual females of two different species (species 1 and species 2) over time. Each figure illustrates the growth and reproduction of each individual over its life span. What type of reproductive strategy (semelparous or iteroparous) do these two individuals show? How did you determine this?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
 
- The figure...

Question 12

Refer to the figure.
  
-The figure is based on data from a study of the body size and reproductive output of individual females of two different species (species 1 and species 2) over time. Each figure illustrates the growth and reproduction of each individual over its life span. Based on growth patterns and the timing of reproduction, which species is closer to the K end of the r-K continuum, and which is closer to the r end of the continuum? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
  
-The figure...

Question 13

Refer to the figure.
 
- The figure is based on data from a study of the body size and reproductive output of individual females of two different species (species 1 and species 2) over time. Each figure illustrates the growth and reproduction of each individual over its life span. Based on these data, what appears to be the primary factor influencing when these individuals reach their highest reproductive output? Explain your reasoning.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
 
- The figure...

Question 14

Refer to the figure.
 
- The figure is based on data from a study of the body size and reproductive output of individual females of two different species (species 1 and species 2) over time. Each figure illustrates the growth and reproduction of each individual over its life span. Suppose that successful reproduction in a given year is dependent on an individual's ability to secure a high-quality territory. In which species is it more important for females to secure a territory at a younger age? Why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
 
- The figure...

Question 15

Four clownfish individuals of the species Premnas biaculeatus live in a single anemone. Alex measures 12 cm, Blaine is 22 cm, Casey is 18 cm, and DJ is 10 cm. Which one is most likely the breeding male?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Four clownfish individuals of the species Premnas...

Question 16

A young clownfish is just returning to the reef and is looking for an anemone to live in. He is currently 23 mm long. Which one would provide him with the best chances of survival?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A young clownfish is just returning to...

Question 17

Which of the following pairs of items does not represent distinct stages of a life cycle?

Accepted Answer

A mosquito larva and a blackfly larva are not stages of the same life cycle; they are larvae of different species.

Question 18

Refer to the table.
 Three different genotypes of garter snakes (D, E, and F) were reared at different temperatures. Four individuals were in each trial. The table shows their weights (in grams). Based on these data, which genotype(s) appear(s) to show phenotypic plasticity?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the table.
 Three different genotypes...

Question 19

If sexual reproduction is favored in Species X (which can reproduce both sexually and asexually) because it results in greater genetic diversity that facilitates resistance to pathogen Y, then one would predict that

Accepted Answer

In the absence of pathogen Y, the advantage of increased genetic diversity from sexual reproduction is not needed, so outcrossing would not be favored.

Question 20

The type of complex life cycle that includes both multicellular haploid (gametophyte) and multicellular diploid (sporophytes) is known as

Accepted Answer

Alternation of generations is a type of complex life cycle that includes both multicellular haploid (gametophyte) and multicellular diploid (sporophytes) stages.

Quiz 7: Life History

Which classification scheme or metric is generally most helpful for comparing life histories across broad ranges of size or taxonomy?

Suppose that the average adult life span of a gorilla is 25 years and that these animals reach sexual maturity at 5 years of age. Which organism would have a similar value of c (Charnov's dimensionless ratio) to that of a gorilla?

Sequential hermaphroditism and paedomorphic development are both adaptations that allow individuals to take advantage of

Which statement about clownfish is false?

Four clownfish individuals of the species Premnas biaculeatus live in a single anemone. Alex measures 12 cm, Blaine is 22 cm, Casey is 18 cm, and DJ is 10 cm. Which one is most likely the breeding male?

A young clownfish is just returning to the reef and is looking for an anemone to live in. He is currently 23 mm long. Which one would provide him with the best chances of survival?

Which of the following pairs of items does not represent distinct stages of a life cycle?

Refer to the table. Three different genotypes of garter snakes (D, E, and F) were reared at different temperatures. Four individuals were in each trial. The table shows their weights (in grams) . Based on these data, which genotype(s) appear(s) to show phenotypic plasticity?

If sexual reproduction is favored in Species X (which can reproduce both sexually and asexually) because it results in greater genetic diversity that facilitates resistance to pathogen Y, then one would predict that

The type of complex life cycle that includes both multicellular haploid (gametophyte) and multicellular diploid (sporophytes) is known as