A farmer's land includes a wilderness area that is home to an endangered species of bird. He wants to sell the land to a developer, and you have been hired to evaluate the environmental concerns. "This little patch of land is not crucial for the bird species!" the farmer says, "In fact, my land is surrounded by several other wilderness patches that also have that bird." You reply: "It is possible that your land acts as the ____________ and the other areas are ___________ . If that's the case, development would be devastating to the population."

Question

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The farmer's land could be a "source" where the bird population thrives and reproduces, while the surrounding areas could be "sinks" where the population does not sustain itself without immigration from the source. Development on the source land could thus be devastating.

A Farmer's Land Includes a Wilderness Area That Is Home