The "Allee Effect" is one suggestion dealing with the way that fitness might be related to the presence or absence of conspecifics in a prospective home. Which of the following statements best summarizes the Allee Effect?
A) Individual fitness increases with number of conspecifics at low to moderate densities, then declines from moderate to high densities.
B) Individual fitness will decline as the number of conspecifics in a patch increases.
C) Physical characteristics that correlate with the presence of prey, such as level of light intensity or amount of leaf litter, permit a rapid evaluation of habitat quality.
D) The simple presence of conspecifics serves as a source of indirect information about habitat quality.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Allee Effect describes a phenomenon where an individual's fitness (or reproductive success) increases with the number of conspecifics (members of the same species) at low to moderate densities due to benefits such as easier finding of mates or cooperative behaviors. However, beyond a certain point (from moderate to high densities), the fitness starts to decline due to factors like competition for resources.

The "Allee Effect" Is One Suggestion Dealing with the Way