Questions from Ecology


Q: In type 3 functional response, what mechanisms may be responsible for

In type 3 functional response, what mechanisms may be responsible for low rates of food intake—compared to type 1 and type 2 functional response—at low food densities?

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Q: Why are plants such as mosses living in the understory of a

Why are plants such as mosses living in the understory of a dense forest, which show higher rates of photosynthesis at low irradiance, unable to live in environments where they are exposed to full sun...

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Q: What conclusion can we draw from the parallel between photosynthetic response curves

What conclusion can we draw from the parallel between photosynthetic response curves in plants and functional response curves of animals?

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Q: Throughout this series of discussions of investigating the evidence, we have

Throughout this series of discussions of investigating the evidence, we have emphasized one main source of evidence— original research. While original research is the foundation on w...

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Q: In chapter 2 we calculated the sample mean and in chapter 3

In chapter 2 we calculated the sample mean and in chapter 3 we determined the sample median. The mean and median are different ways of representing the middle, or typical, within a sample of a populat...

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Q: One of the most powerful ways to test a hypothesis is through

One of the most powerful ways to test a hypothesis is through an experiment. Experiments used by ecologists generally fall into one of two categories—field experiments and laboratory experiments. Fiel...

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Q: The number of observations included in a sample, that is,

The number of observations included in a sample, that is, sample size, has an important influence on the level of confidence we place on conclusions based on that sample. Let’s exami...

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Q: Ecologists are often interested in the relationship between two variables, which

Ecologists are often interested in the relationship between two variables, which we might call X and Y. For example, in chapter 7 we reviewed a study of how the size of pumas, variable X, is related t...

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Q: What advantage does advertising give to noxious prey? How would convergence

What advantage does advertising give to noxious prey? How would convergence in aposematic coloration among several species of Müllerian mimics contribute to the fitness of individuals in each species?...

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Q: As we have seen, the extent to which phenotypic variation in

As we have seen, the extent to which phenotypic variation in a trait is determined by genetic variation affects its potential to evolve by natural selection. In other words, the potential for a trait...

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