Resistance to sinking is also a function of viscosity, which decreases with increasing temperature. Both may be able to float at 4 C, but at 20 C, the organisms with appendages are better equipped to decrease their sinking rate. Briefly explain why Professor Dam concluded that copepod populations from Maine are better adapted to dealing with the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium than copepod populations from New Jersey. You can also take a look at the lecture presentation posted on the website. For a feature to be an adaptation, it must endow organisms with a fitness advantage.
Fitness refers to the organisms' ability to leave surviving offspring.
When grazers from Maine and grazers from New Jersey are offered the same amount of the toxic dinoflagellate, the grazers from Maine produce a greater number of surviving eggs than the grazers from New Jersey. This difference in reproductive output between the two grazer populations disappears if a nontoxic food is used. Hence, the greater reproductive output of the Maine population in the presence of the toxic dinoflagellate is consistent with the idea of adaptation of this population to the toxic dinofalgellate. Answer study question 4 of chapter 14. Organic production at polar latitudes is seasonal, limited by sunlight, of low level in winter and stimulated by a long photoperiod in summer.