Question:
Mayflies lay eggs in water. Their nymphs (immature life stage) are aquatic and adults are terrestrial. Some mayflies perceive dry, paved parking lots as waterbodies and lay eggs there that do not survive. In this situation, which one or more of these statements is/are correct?
Mayflies lay eggs in water. Their nymphs (immature life stage) are aquatic and adults are terrestrial. Some mayflies perceive dry, paved parking lots as waterbodies and lay eggs there that do not survive. In this situation, which one or more of these statements is/are correct?
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In ecological terms, source habitats are areas where species thrive, while sink habitats are areas where survival and reproduction are not successful.
Updated On: Apr 8, 2025
- These parking lots are ecological sink habitats, whereas adjacent waterbodies are source habitats
- This is an example of antagonistic coevolution between humans and insects
- Mayflies have an iteroparous life history strategy
- Laying eggs in these parking lots instead of waterbodies would reduce the fitness of individual female mayflies
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The Correct Option is A, D
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understand ecological sink and source habitats.
A source habitat is an area where individuals can successfully reproduce and survive, whereas a sink habitat is an area where individuals do not survive, and reproduction is unsuccessful.
Parking lots in this case act as sink habitats because the eggs laid there do not survive.
Step 2: Analyze the other options.
Antagonistic coevolution refers to a situation where two species evolve in opposition to each other, but this does not apply in this case.
Iteroparous life history strategy involves multiple reproductive cycles, which does not apply to mayflies as they are typically semelparous (reproducing only once).
Laying eggs in the parking lots reduces fitness because the eggs do not survive, thus affecting the reproductive success of female mayflies. Thus, the correct answers are (A) and (D).
A source habitat is an area where individuals can successfully reproduce and survive, whereas a sink habitat is an area where individuals do not survive, and reproduction is unsuccessful.
Parking lots in this case act as sink habitats because the eggs laid there do not survive.
Step 2: Analyze the other options.
Antagonistic coevolution refers to a situation where two species evolve in opposition to each other, but this does not apply in this case.
Iteroparous life history strategy involves multiple reproductive cycles, which does not apply to mayflies as they are typically semelparous (reproducing only once).
Laying eggs in the parking lots reduces fitness because the eggs do not survive, thus affecting the reproductive success of female mayflies. Thus, the correct answers are (A) and (D).
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