Question

4.06 HC)A five-year review of threats to the southern resident orca population of the United States concluded that the top threats were prey availability, contaminants, and effects from recreational and whale watching vessels. Further down the list are oil spills, disease, and effects from commercial vessels not targeting whales. How might this list be different if it were for transient whale populations, which have a larger average population size and live farther offshore in open waters?
a)The transient population is more likely to be affected by contaminants. b)The transient population is less likely to be affected by whale watching vessels.
c)The transient population is more likely to be affected by disease.
d)The transient population is less likely to be affected by prey availability.

Answer 1

Transient populations have the distinct advantage of being able to move between different places, and thus are less effected by detrimental local conditions.

The most likely scenario is represented by statement b). Due to the fact that there are more individuals per average in a population and the fact that they live farther offshore, the effect of whale watching vessels on the whole population is most likely to be low.  

Due to the fact that the population does not live in the same place for extended periods of time, it is less likely to be affected by local contaminants, prey availability as well as disease caused by local conditions.