Natural Selection and David Lack's starling studies

[Edin_Dzeko]

Homework Statement

Describe Lack's experiments with Swiss starlings, and state what these experiments tell us about the effect of natural selection

Homework Equations

Lack's studies / experiment was that he marked the nestlings of the starlings and then he recaptured them months later when they had left their nests. He recorded that the starlings that laid more eggs, had a higher mortality than the ones that laid less eggs. There weren't enough food so the ones that laid more eggs couldn't give enough enough to all their young while the ones that laid a few eggs was able to provide adequate food for their young so the chances of the young in small broods surviving and reproducing are higher than those in the brood where more eggs are laid.

The Attempt at a Solution

Guys. Help. I'm really confused here

 

[pmsrw3]

Well, you know, for natural selection, the key question is who has the most surviving offspring? Your description is a little too vague to answer that question. Sharpen it up, and I guess the rest of the answer will come easily.