Question

A. What can Age pyramids tell you about the characteristics of the countries they represent?

B. What would a developed nation’s age pyramid look like?

C. Describe the characteristics of r-selected and K-selected species. Provide examples of each type of species.

D. Give two examples of both types of mimicry: Müllerian mimicry, & Batesian mimicry.

E. What are the different types of competition? Is competition between species or individuals of the same species a positive species interaction or is it negative?

Answer 1

A. The age pyramid is also termed as population pyramid. It shows the distribution of various age groups in a given population (country). In this pyramid, males are on the left and females are on the right.

B. The population pyramid of developed nations is rectangular in shape. It shows equal distribution of ages among the population. Such graph illustraetes the low birth rate and high quality of life.

c. The k Selection species are those species whose population is near the carrying capacity of the environment. Such species have stable population and produce less number of offsprings. Moreover, these species have long gastation period and long life spands. Example - humans, elephants, birds, etc.

The r selection species are just opposite of K selection species. Such species produce lots of offsprings and have relatively shorter lifespan. Examples are weed and bacteria.

D. Batesian mimicry is a mimicry in which a harmless animal mimics the harmful animal. The mimicry is of physical traits to some extent. Example- harmless therea beetle mimic the dangerous tortoise beetle and harmless king snake mimics the venomous coral snake. In mullerian mimicry, two dangerous species mimics each other.  H.erato and H. malpomene butterflies mimics eachother.

E. Interference competition is between the individuals becuase of the aggression.

exploitative competition is due to the limited source available in the environment.

apparent competion occurs between two species which are preyed by a predator.