Question

A population is observed to have very large numbers of very young individuals, but very low numbers of sexually mature individuals. What hypothesis might are searcher propose about mortality patterns in this population and how would a researcher follow up to test their hypothesis?

a. A researcher might propose the mortality rate of this species is very high during the developmental period after sexual maturity is reached. This hypothesis can be tested by constructing a life table and calculating mortality rates at different age intervals.
b. A researcher might propose the mortality rate of this species is very high during the developmental period before sexual maturity is reached. This hypothesis can be tested by using the mark and recapture method and calculating population densities.
c. A researcher might propose the mortality rate of this species is very high during the developmental period before sexual maturity is reached. This hypothesis can be tested by constructing a life table and calculating mortality rates at different age intervals.
d. A researcher might propose the mortality rate of this species is very low during the developmental period before sexual maturity is reached. This hypothesis can be tested by constructing a quadrat and calculating mortality rates at different age intervals.

Answer 1

To investigate a population with high young and low mature individuals, a hypothesis could suggest high pre-mature mortality, tested by constructing a life table to examine age-specific mortality rates.

Step-by-step explanation:

Observing a population with a large number of very young individuals and low numbers of sexually mature individuals suggests particular patterns of mortality. One plausible hypothesis is that the mortality rate of this species is very high during the developmental period before sexual maturity is reached. To test this hypothesis, researchers would construct a life table and calculate mortality rates at different age intervals. Life tables are statistical charts that track how long individuals remain alive within specified age groups and are a powerful tool in demography, the study of population changes over time. By providing insights into the proportion of individuals dying at different life stages, life tables allow researchers to infer patterns of survival and mortality within the population.