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Question #45201
The Question
A mammalian population is introduced into a geographic region where the ambient temperature remains persistently below its thermoneutral zone. Based on the principles of energy allocation and organismic ecology, which of the following statements is INCORRECT regarding the population's physiological and demographic response?
Options
- A.
The intrinsic rate of natural increase (r) will decrease as metabolic energy is diverted from reproduction to shivering and non-shivering thermogenesis.
- B.
Over evolutionary time, natural selection will favor phenotypes with shorter extremities, thereby increasing their surface-area-to-volume ratio to conserve heat.
- C.
Small mammals like shrews are rarely found in such extreme cold regions because their large surface area relative to their volume makes thermoregulation metabolically expensive.
- D.
If the metabolic cost of thermoregulation exceeds energy assimilation, the population will fail to reach its carrying capacity (K) and experience a rapid decline.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Comparative_Analysis
Sharpen your ability to evaluate multiple scenarios and distinguish between competing potential answers.
Concepts Behind This Question
MacArthur’s Warblers|Competitive Exclusion|Niche Breadth
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: The mathematical relationship between physical dimensions and heat loss.
Students often memorize Allen's Rule ('colder climates = shorter extremities') but fail to connect it to the geometric consequence: a lower (not higher) surface-area-to-volume ratio.
The trap relies on a 'Common Half-Truth' where the first half of the statement is correct but the mechanistic reasoning is inverted.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Organisms and Populations - Class 12 |
| Concept | Population Growth Model Dynamics |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |