Question

The females of a certain species of fish produce on average 1,000 eggs each year. By chance, some females produce a few more eggs than average, and others produce a slightly fewer eggs than average. This is an example of

a. Stochastic reproduction
b. Density-dependent reproduction
c. Deterministic reproduction
d. Evolutionary reproduction

Answer 1

The variability in egg production among individual fish is an example of stochastic reproduction, which is characterized by random variations in reproductive output due to different influencing factors.

Step-by-step explanation:

The scenario presented where females of a certain species of fish produce on average 1,000 eggs each year, with some variability, is an example of stochastic reproduction. Stochastic reproduction involves random variations in the reproductive output among individual organisms.

Fish often engage in a reproductive strategy known as spawning, where they release gametes into the water in large numbers, enhancing the probability of fertilization and increasing chances for at least some offspring to survive. In spawning, the number of eggs produced can vary somewhat from one female to another, which reflects a stochastic element rather than a fixed, deterministic outcome.