Question

All species have a tolerance limit before they are no longer well suited to live in their environment.

In three to five sentences, discuss the potential outcomes for a population when that limit is reached. There are at least four possibilities, and one point will be assigned per potential outcome mentioned. (4 points)

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

When a species reaches its tolerance limit in their environment, one potential outcome is population decline. This could occur due to limited resources or increased competition for resources, leading to a decline in birth rates or an increase in mortality rates. Another potential outcome is adaptation or evolution. If the species has the ability to adapt to the changing conditions, individuals with traits that are better suited to the new environment may have a survival advantage, leading to the evolution of a more well-suited population. Migration is another possible outcome, where individuals may move to a more suitable environment to avoid the unfavorable conditions. Finally, extinction is a possible outcome when a species cannot adapt, migrate, or find alternative resources to survive in the changed environment.