A southern European songbird, the blue tit (Parus caeruleus), breeds in two habitats that differ greatly in quality: downy oak forest and holm oak forest. In downy oak habitats, there are six times as many breeding pairs of blue tits and they produce 60 percent more total offspring per year than the holm oak blue tit populations. The downy oak blue tit populations have the potential to grow at the rate of 9 percent annually. In holm oak habitats, blue tits perform poorly and populations have the potential to decline 13 percent annually. Given the differences in the two habitats, why do blue tits persist in both? Be sure to include a discussion of the relevant metapopulation model in your answer.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer of A southern European songbird, the blue tit (Parus caeruleus), breeds in two habitats that differ greatly in quality: downy oak forest and holm oak forest. In downy oak habitats, there are six times as many breeding pairs of blue tits and they produce 60 percent more total offspring per year than the holm oak blue tit populations. The downy oak blue tit populations have the potential to grow at the rate of 9 percent annually. In holm oak habitats, blue tits perform poorly and populations have the potential to decline 13 percent annually. Given the differences in the two habitats, why do blue tits persist in both? Be sure to include a discussion of the relevant metapopulation model in your answer.

A Southern European Songbird, the Blue Tit (Parus Caeruleus), Breeds