Many animal species adapt their communication strategies to survive in human-altered environments. Biologist Dr. Marcus Thorne hypothesized that urban noise pollution causes city-dwelling house finches (*Haemorhous mexicanus*) to sing at a higher minimum frequency than rural house finches to prevent their songs from being masked by low-frequency traffic noise.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support Dr. Thorne's hypothesis?
- AUrban house finches have developed larger vocal tracts over generations, allowing them to produce a wider variety of song types than rural house finches.
- Audio recordings show that house finches in noisy city centers sing songs with a minimum frequency of , whereas house finches in quiet rural areas sing songs with a minimum frequency of .Answer
- CHouse finches in cities sing for longer periods throughout the day and at a higher overall volume than house finches in rural areas do.
- DHouse finches in rural areas sing songs with a minimum frequency of , whereas house finches in noisy cities sing songs with a minimum frequency of .
Answer
Audio recordings show that house finches in noisy city centers sing songs with a minimum frequency of , whereas house finches in quiet rural areas sing songs with a minimum frequency of .
The correct answer directly supports the hypothesis by providing comparative data showing that urban house finches sing at a higher minimum frequency () than their rural counterparts (), which would prevent their songs from being masked by traffic noise.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Command of Evidence: Textual