Answer the following statement(s) true (T) or false (F)

Question

1.  True or False: An r-selected species is more likely to become an invasive pest than a K-selected species.  
2.  Interspecific competition can affect the phenotypic characteristics of organisms.  

Clarify question:
What is the key concept addressed by the question?

What type of thinking is required?
 
Gather Content:
What do you already know about interspecific competition? What other information is related to the question?  
Choose Answer:
Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?

Reflection on Process:
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
 
3. Geographical allopatry between species is definitive evidence of interspecific competition.  

Clarify question:
What is the key concept addressed by the question?

What type of thinking is required?
 
Gather Content:
 What do you already know about interspecific competition and the contribution that geographic allopatry might have in establishing the competition? What other information is related to the question? 
 
Choose AnswerGiven what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?  
Reflection on Process:
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
 
4. When there are high levels of disturbance in a community, the number of K-selected species should increase along with the overall diversity of the community.  
5. In general, communities in early succession will be dominated by fast-growing species with r-selected life histories.  

Answer 1

1. TRUE
2. TRUE

Clarify question:
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
The question requires an understanding of interspecific competition and how it might affect organisms involved in the competitive relationship.

What type of thinking is required?
This is an application question; you need to apply your knowledge of character displacement and interspecific competition to determine if the statement is true or false.
 
Gather Content:
What do you already know about interspecific competition? What other information is related to the question? Character displacement occurs when a species’ range overlaps with a competitor. Often in areas of sympatry competing species tend to diverge from each other in order to reduce level of competition.
 
Choose Answer:
Given what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer?

Where two species occur together, they often tend to exhibit character displacement. Character displacement is a result of natural selection. Since evolution acts on genes, it can alter the genotypes and therefore phenotypes of those species in competition
 
Reflection on Process:
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
You needed to apply your knowledge of character displacement and interspecific competition to decide if the statement is true or false. Were you able to select the correct answer?

3. FALSE

Clarify question:
What is the key concept addressed by the question?
The question requires an understanding of interspecific competition and what factors contribute to this type of competition.

What type of thinking is required?
This is an application question; you need to apply your knowledge of allopatric populations and interspecific competition to determine if the statement is true or false.
 
Gather Content:
 What do you already know about interspecific competition and the contribution that geographic allopatry might have in establishing the competition? What other information is related to the question? 
Allopatric populations are geographically isolated from each other. Is competition the only reason why 2 populations may live in completely different areas with no overlap?
 
Choose AnswerGiven what you now know, what information is most likely to produce the correct answer? When two species do not overlap in space, this could be the result of ecological interactions, but it could also be the result of evolutionary forces.
 
Reflection on Process:
Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
You need to apply you knowledge of allopatric populations in order to figure out if the statement is true or false. Although geographic allopatric populations could be the result of competition, other explanations are also possible.

4. FALSE
5. TRUE - r-selected species are species that grow and disperse quickly and reproduce quickly and in large numbers. Therefore, they would be the first species to dominate an area in early succession.