Ecologists monitoring the temperate forest ecosystem noted that warming global temperatures had significantly altered the area's phenology. For instance, the local oak trees began leafing out weeks earlier than usual, which disrupted the nesting cycle of migratory songbirds that relied on caterpillars feeding on those leaves. Rather than representing a change in the species' genetic code, this shift in the timing of seasonal life cycle events demonstrated how organisms dynamically respond to immediate environmental cues.
As it is used in the passage, the underlined word phenology most nearly refers to which of the following?
- Agenetic adaptation of species to climate shifts
- Bphysical density of the forest foliage
- timing of seasonal biological activitiesCevap
- Dgeographic distribution of migratory animal species
Cevap
timing of seasonal biological activities
The correct answer is the option referring to the timing of seasonal biological activities. The passage provides an example of phenology by describing oak trees leafing out 'weeks earlier than usual' and subsequently characterizes this as a 'shift in the timing of seasonal life cycle events.'
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Anahtar Kavram
Decoding low-frequency academic and technical words using context clues such as examples and restatements.