The document discusses factors influencing the geographic range of species, highlighting the roles of metapopulations and environmental conditions. It lists examples of active dispersal, such as owls flying away from nests and seeds being carried by animals or wind. Additionally, it examines density-dependent effects on population growth and considers conservation strategies for whale species, specifically focusing on which life stage may benefit most from conservation efforts.

1. 3. How do populations scale to species geographic ranges? [select all that apply]
a. Populations are made up of metapopulations that are separated by significant barriers to gene
flow.
b. Metapopulations are made up of populations that are connected by dispersal or migration that
moves alleles between populations.
c. A species geographic range may contain multiple metapopulations.
d. A species geographic range will be determined by abiotic factors, such as precipitation and
temperature; biological factors, such as competition; and dispersal.
e. A species geographic range is the result of random distributions of populations.
4. Which of the following are examples of active dispersal?
a. Owls that fly away from the nest to find a new territory.
b. Herring that spawn as a big population into the open ocean.
c. Voles that disperse to avoid competition.
d. Blackberry seeds carried by a cedar waxwing bird to a new location.
e. Maple seeds being blown by the wind.
7. Which of the following will have density-dependent effects on population growth?
a. A disease, like malaria, that effects birds is introduced to the Hawaiian islands.
b. Climate change causes temperature fluctuations.
c. A forest fire.
d. The loss of a predator, such as mountain lions or wolves, from an area due to humans.
e. Competition with another species for similar resources.
13. Many whale species, which typically exhibit a Type I survivorship curve, have been
overexploited by humans in the last 150 years. Imagine you have limited resources and must
focus your conservation efforts on increasing the survival rate of a single life stage (calf vs.
juvenile vs. mature adult) of an endangered whale species. The calf stage is from birth to weaning,
juvenile is from weaning to first reproduction, and mature adult is any age past first breeding.
Which life stage would you focus on and why (assuming there is room for realistic improvement at
each life stage)? To make your decision, if there is any additional life history information you may
want to know in addition to the survivorship curve shape, what would it be? (There is not
necessarily only one correct answer to this question.)