1. You are studying the intertidal zone of a previously unstudied island. You fi
ID: 48003 • Letter: 1
Question
1. You are studying the intertidal zone of a previously unstudied island. You find three species of barnacles on the rocks. Species A is most abundant in the upper intertidal zone, Species B in the middle intertidal, and Species C in the lower intertidal. You conduct three exclusion experiments: You find multiple rock-faces of the same size in all three areas (upper, middle, and lower), and exclude all but Species A from the first group, all but Species B from the second group, and all but Species C from the third group. These exclusions are maintained for two months, and then you count the number of individuals present in each area on each set of rocks. Based on the data below, what can you conclude?
Answer.... C
a. Species A and B compete with Species C in the middle intertidal zone
b. All three species are equally well adapted to all three habitats
c. Species C may lack the adaptations necessary to survive in the upper and middle intertidal zone
d. Species A has the best adaptations to all three zones
2. Based on the results above, you study the settlement patterns of the three species. You establish transects on each of your experimental rock-faces (which are evenly distributed among the upper, middle and lower intertidal zones) and remove all barnacles. Each day, you count the number of individuals of each species present in each transect, then remove them. You do this for 30 days. Based on your results in the table below, what can you conclude?
Answer.... C
a. Competition between Species A and B is more likely than differences in physical adaptations to explain the distributions of those two species in the upper and middle intertidal zone.
b. Differences in physical adaptations are likely more important than competition in explaining the distributions of Species A and B in the upper and middle intertidal zones.
c. Species A and B outcompete Species C in the upper intertidal zone.
d. Species C is better adapted to the physical environment of the lower intertidal zone than are the other two species.
Explanation / Answer
1. c. Species C may lack the adaptations necessary to survive in the upper and middle intertidal zone.
Reason
a. Species A and B compete with Species C in the upper intertidal zone
b. All three species are not equally adapted
d. Both A and B adapt to all three zones.
2. c. Species A and B outcompete Species C in the upper intertidal zone.
Reason
Differences in physical adaptations and competition not have that much of difference in Species A and B
in the upper and middle intertidal zone.
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