Question

although most songbirds build open, cupped nests, some species build domed nests with roofs that provide much more protection. many ecologists have assumed that domed nests would provide protection from weather conditions and thus would allow species that build them to have larger geographic ranges than species that build open nests do. to evaluate this assumption, a research team led by evolutionary biologist iliana medina analyzed data for over 3,000 species of songbirds. which finding from medina and her colleagues study, if true, would most directly challenge the assumption in the underlined sentence? species that build open nests tend to have higher extinction rates than species that build domed nests. species that build open nests tend to be smaller in size than species that build domed nests. species that build open nests tend to use fewer materials to build their nests than species that build domed nests do. species that build open nests tend to have larger ranges than species that build domed nests.

Explanation:

The assumption is that domed nests (due to weather - protection) lead to larger geographic ranges. To challenge it, we need evidence that open - nest species (contrary to the assumption) have larger ranges. Option D directly presents such a finding (open - nest species have larger ranges), which goes against the core of the assumption (domed nests = larger ranges). Options A (extinction rates), B (size), and C (materials) are not related to the geographic - range aspect of the assumption.

Answer:

D. Species that build open nests tend to have larger ranges than species that build domed nests.