Chapter 51, Problem 15
A team of 102 scientists spent a year surveying a small area of the San Lorenzo rain forest in Panama to count the number of species of arthropods living there. After collecting 129,494 specimens—using nets, traps, shovels, tree-climbing harnesses, helium balloons, and other creative gear—it took the team eight years to sort and identify the arthropods. By comparing the number of arthropod species that were common among the 12 plots sampled, the researchers estimated that the total number of arthropods in the whole San Lorenzo forest is 25,000 species. To come up with this estimate, what's one assumption the researchers had to make about the forest?
Verified Solution
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.Video transcript
The carnivorous plant Nepenthes bicalcarata ('fanged pitcher plant') has a unique relationship with a species of ant—Camponotus schmitzi ('diving ant'). The diving ants are not digested by the pitcher plants, but instead live on the plants and consume nectar. Diving ants also dive into the digestive juices in the pitcher, swim to the bottom, and capture and consume trapped insects, leaving uneaten body parts and ant feces behind. What nutritional impact do the ants have on fanged pitcher plants? Do the pitcher plants derive any nutritional benefit from this relationship? Explain why carnivorous and parasitic plants are most common in nutrient-poor habitats.
Lyme disease is caused by infections of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi (stained blue in inset, among red blood cells) which is transferred to humans via blood-sucking bites from the tick, Ixodes scapularis. Lyme disease can cause flu-like symptoms in the short term and more serious illnesses in the long term, if not treated. Why is Lyme disease on the rise in eastern North America? Researchers have measured a positive correlation between forest fragmentation and incidence of Lyme disease. According to the theory of island biogeography, how do you predict fragmentation will affect species richness?
A team of 102 scientists spent a year surveying a small area of the San Lorenzo rain forest in Panama to count the number of species of arthropods living there. After collecting 129,494 specimens—using nets, traps, shovels, tree-climbing harnesses, helium balloons, and other creative gear—it took the team eight years to sort and identify the arthropods.A team of 102 scientists spent a year surveying a small area of the San Lorenzo rain forest in Panama to count the number of species of arthropods living there. After collecting 129,494 specimens—using nets, traps, shovels, tree-climbing harnesses, helium balloons, and other creative gear—it took the team eight years to sort and identify the arthropods. Use the data in the graph to analyze the following statements. Select True or False for each statement, then correct any false statements to make them true. T/F All taxa shown in the graph are insects. T/F All taxa shown in the graph have segmented bodies and limbs. T/F All taxa shown in the graph are terrestrial. T/F If the researchers had sampled for mollusks, they probably would have found almost as many species as they did for arthropods.
Lyme disease is caused by infections of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi (stained blue in inset, among red blood cells) which is transferred to humans via blood-sucking bites from the tick, Ixodes scapularis. Lyme disease can cause flu-like symptoms in the short term and more serious illnesses in the long term, if not treated. Why is Lyme disease on the rise in eastern North America? White-footed mice occupy a broad ecological niche—they occur in most communities regardless of habitat quality. Many other species, like the opossum, are absent from low-quality forest fragments. Based on this information and the data in Question 12, propose a hypothesis to explain the observed relationship between increased forest fragmentation and increased incidence of Lyme disease.
A team of 102 scientists spent a year surveying a small area of the San Lorenzo rain forest in Panama to count the number of species of arthropods living there. After collecting 129,494 specimens—using nets, traps, shovels, tree-climbing harnesses, helium balloons, and other creative gear—it took the team eight years to sort and identify the arthropods. The researchers observed a strong correlation between the number of arthropod species and the number of plant species in the San Lorenzo forest. Pose an evolutionary hypothesis to explain this correlation.
Lyme disease is caused by infections of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi (stained blue in inset, among red blood cells) which is transferred to humans via blood-sucking bites from the tick, Ixodes scapularis. Lyme disease can cause flu-like symptoms in the short term and more serious illnesses in the long term, if not treated. Why is Lyme disease on the rise in eastern North America? A letter to the editor in a local newspaper asserts that 'we cannot afford to preserve natural forests, because we need to use these resources to help humans.' How could you respond to this comment in terms of Lyme disease?