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Chapter 13: Problem 5

If a predator affects all phenotypes within the prey population equally will the interaction function as an agent of natural selection?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Explain your answer. Answer: No, a predator that affects all phenotypes within a prey population equally does not function as an agent of natural selection. This is because there is no differential survival or reproduction based on phenotype, meaning that the phenotypic composition of the prey population would not change over time due to this predator-prey interaction.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Natural Selection

Natural selection is the process by which traits become more or less common in a population due to their impact on reproductive success. It involves the differential survival and reproduction of organisms with particular traits. In other words, individuals with traits that improve their chances of surviving and reproducing will pass on those traits to their offspring, making those traits more prevalent in the population over time.
02

Identify agents of natural selection

Agents of natural selection, also known as selective pressures, are factors that influence an organism's survival and reproduction. These can include factors such as predation, competition, disease, and environmental conditions (e.g. availability of food, water, or mating partners). When an agent of natural selection disproportionately impacts certain phenotypes, it leads to a shift in the proportion of those traits in the population.
03

Analyze the impact of the predator on the prey's phenotype

In this exercise, it is stated that a predator affects all phenotypes within the prey population equally. This means that no single phenotype is more vulnerable to predation than any other phenotype. Consequently, there would be no differential survival or reproduction of individuals based on their phenotype.
04

Determine whether the interaction functions as an agent of natural selection

Since the predator affects all phenotypes within the prey population equally, i.e., there is no differential survival or reproduction based on phenotype, this interaction would not function as an agent of natural selection. As a result, the phenotypic composition of the prey population would not change over time due to this predator-prey interaction.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What does a researcher need to establish to distinguish whether an interaction between two species is an example of commensalism or mutualism?

If a phenotypic characteristic exhibited by a prey species functions to help individuals avoid being detected by predators, can we assume that the characteristic is a product of coevolution?

Do you think all species interactions influence the population dynamics of the species involved? Can you construct an example of where a population of predators may not have a negative impact on the population growth rate of the prey species?

Contrast amensalism and competition. What do ecologists mean when they refer to amensalism as a form of asymmetrical competition?
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