Every year,environmental signals in Africa cause flycatchers to return to the Netherlands to breed.When they arrive,they depend on freshly hatched caterpillars for food.Global climate change has caused the caterpillars to hatch earlier in the Netherlands,but the environmental cues in Africa remain the same.Now,when the flycatchers return to the Netherlands the caterpillars are no longer available as a food source.Which of the following is most likely to happen to this species of flycatcher?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The flycatchers are facing a mismatched timing between their arrival and the availability of food. This could result in a decrease in survival and reproductive success for the species. However, if the flycatchers have genetic variation (alleles) that allow them to adapt to changes in food availability, they may be able to switch to different food sources besides caterpillars. Therefore, option B is the best choice as it suggests that flycatchers may adapt to the changing environment by utilizing alternate food sources. Options A, C, and D are less likely because they do not offer a feasible solution to the problem of mismatched timing.

Every Year,environmental Signals in Africa Cause Flycatchers to Return to the Netherlands