Which situation is an example of density-independent population regulation?
A) An early cold spell kills 80 percent of the sparrows in a particular area.
B) When lemmings are abundant, arctic foxes switch their primary diet from mice to lemmings.
C) Lemming predators search widely for places where lemmings are abundant and concentrate their hunting in those areas.
D) A contagious disease sweeps through a dense population of squirrels but leaves a less-dense population relatively untouched.
E) An outbreak of an insect species depletes their food supply; the next generation of insects is underfed and produces few offspring.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Density-independent factors, like an early cold spell, affect a population regardless of its size or density. In this situation, the cold weather kills sparrows indiscriminately, without regards to their population size. The other options describe density-dependent factors, as they are influenced by the size or density of the population, such as competition for resources, predation, and disease outbreaks.

Which Situation Is an Example of Density-Independent Population Regulation