You suspect that deer are restricting the distribution of a tree species by preferentially eating the seedlings of the tree. How might you test this hypothesis?

Short Answer

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One may build fences around plots of identified tree seedlings to check if they can thrive in the area in the absence of deer. If deer don't eat them, one can conclude that deer limit the range of a tree species by preferentially eating the tree's seedlings.

Step by step solution

01

Species distribuition

Organisms' dispersion or distribution refers to the distribution of species across a wide range of habitats.This is the most common cause of speciation, which occurs when new species emerge from their ancestors.

02

Geographical isolation

Here, the physical barrier separates two populations of the same species or breeding groups, such as a mountain or a body of water.Geographic separation may eventually result in populations becoming different species as a result of adaptive radiation.

03

Seed predation

Species predation on seeds is an essential ecological phenomenon that can impact individual plant reproductive success, population dynamics, and the evolution of predators.

With the help of an experiment, one can conclude that by erecting a barrier between the deer and the seedlings, the deer will be repelled from eating the seedlings.

Thus, if the seedlings grow appropriately, one can conclude that deer were the primary cause of the seedlings’ failure to flourish.

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