[Campbell Biology P.805] Based on the data provided for 14 bird species Q8c table , what is ... | Practice Question

Based on the data provided for 14 bird species Q8c table , what is the most accurate conclusion regarding the relationship between deviation from expected brain size and mortality rate?

  • A: Birds with larger than expected brains generally exhibit lower mortality rates.
  • B: There is no discernible pattern or correlation between brain size deviation and mortality rate.
  • C: Birds with brains significantly smaller than expected (e.g., -2.4 deviation) consistently have the lowest mortality rates.
  • D: Only birds with exactly average brain sizes (0.0 deviation) show optimal survival rates.

Explanation

By observing the table, species with positive deviations from expected brain size larger brains generally have lower mortality rates e.g., 0.3, 0.6 compared to those with negative deviations smaller brains , which often show higher mortality rates e.g., 0.9, 0.7 . This indicates that larger brains are associated with better survival in this dataset.