You are doing field study work with a scientist studying spiders in the Amazon rainforest.You come across a previously undiscovered species of spider and set up a video camera with a zoom lens to observe it closely without disturbing it.You see the female spider lay two eggs,kill an ant that tried to eat one of the eggs,and preserve the ant to feed the hatchlings the next day.She lays two more eggs as soon as the two offspring grow larger and leave.When your mentor asks for a monthly update,what exciting news do you have for her about this species?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that the female spider carefully selects and preserves food for her offspring and only lays eggs once the previous offspring have grown larger and left suggests that this species exhibits K-selected tendencies, which are characterized by investing more energy into taking care of a smaller number of offspring with a higher survival rate. This is different from r-selected tendencies, which prioritize producing a high number of offspring with a lower survival rate. The information provided does not suggest any particularly unusual tendencies related to intelligent learning or zero population growth.

You Are Doing Field Study Work with a Scientist Studying