0
How did the cicadas decide that they would wait a prime number of year before emerging?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
To think of cicadas as "deciding" something is anthropomorphizing; that is, using words that describe human attributions with things that don't really think as humans do. What probably happened is that those cicadas which happened to have a Prime number cycle tended to avoid having predators match their periodic appearances and so increased relative to those that didn't, and as a consequence, got eaten. This is Natural Selection.
Incidently, only Periodic cicadas have prime number cycles (17 or 13 years); there are also Annual cicadas which as their name implies, appear every year.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoCicadas don't know what prime numbers are. As an evolutionary measure, they are just trying to emerge at the best time not to get eaten.
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What other theories have been put forward to explain why cicadas wait prime number of years before emeging?
I dont now i need some one to tell me :(
What other theories have been put forward to explain why cicadas wait a prime number of years before emerging?
The periodic cicadas spend most of their lives as underground nymphs, only emerging after 13 or 17 years, most likely to reduce losses by satiating their predators.The evolutionary strategy used by cicadas of the genus Magicicada make use of prime numbers. These insects spend most of their lives as grubs underground. They only pupate and then emerge from their burrows after 7, 13 or 17 years, at which point they fly about, breed, and then die after a few weeks at most. The logic for this is believed to be that the prime number intervals between emergences make it very difficult for predators to evolve that could specialize as predators on Magicicadas. If Magicicadas appeared at a non-prime number intervals, say every 12 years, then predators appearing every 2, 3, 4, 6, or 12 years would be sure to meet them. Over a 200-year period, average predator populations during hypothetical outbreaks of 14- and 15-year cicadas would be up to 2% higher than during outbreaks of 13- and 17-year cicadas. Though small, this advantage appears to have been enough to drive natural selection in favor of a prime-numbered life-cycle for these insects.
Why do cicadas wait a prime number of years before coming out?
Cicadas likely evolved to have prime-numbered life cycles as a strategy to avoid synchronization with other insect species or predators. By having longer life cycles that are not easily divisible by other common periods, cicadas can reduce competition and increase their chances of survival and reproduction. This unique adaptation may have provided an evolutionary advantage, leading to the prevalence of prime-numbered life cycles among cicadas.
How do you decide which number is numerator?
The top number.
What is fulkerson rule?
- identify an initial event and number it as 1 ( an initial event is one which has activities or arrows emerging from it and none entering it - delete the arrows emerging from event 1 so as to create one or more initial events - number these new initial events as 2,3,4..... - repeat steps 2 & 3 until last event is obtained which has no arrows emerging out of it.
What other theoies have been put forward to explain why cicadas wait a prime number of years before emerging?
h
What other theories have been put forward to explain why cicadas wait prime number of years before emeging?
I dont now i need some one to tell me :(
What other theories have been put forward to explain why cicadas wait a prime number of years before emerging?
The periodic cicadas spend most of their lives as underground nymphs, only emerging after 13 or 17 years, most likely to reduce losses by satiating their predators.The evolutionary strategy used by cicadas of the genus Magicicada make use of prime numbers. These insects spend most of their lives as grubs underground. They only pupate and then emerge from their burrows after 7, 13 or 17 years, at which point they fly about, breed, and then die after a few weeks at most. The logic for this is believed to be that the prime number intervals between emergences make it very difficult for predators to evolve that could specialize as predators on Magicicadas. If Magicicadas appeared at a non-prime number intervals, say every 12 years, then predators appearing every 2, 3, 4, 6, or 12 years would be sure to meet them. Over a 200-year period, average predator populations during hypothetical outbreaks of 14- and 15-year cicadas would be up to 2% higher than during outbreaks of 13- and 17-year cicadas. Though small, this advantage appears to have been enough to drive natural selection in favor of a prime-numbered life-cycle for these insects.
How does an emerging idea differ from scientific consensus?
An emerging idea has been examined by a large number of scientists.
Why do cicadas wait a prime number of years before coming out?
Cicadas likely evolved to have prime-numbered life cycles as a strategy to avoid synchronization with other insect species or predators. By having longer life cycles that are not easily divisible by other common periods, cicadas can reduce competition and increase their chances of survival and reproduction. This unique adaptation may have provided an evolutionary advantage, leading to the prevalence of prime-numbered life cycles among cicadas.
The emerging economic region of China is?
The emerging economic region of China is Guangzhou. Guangzhou enjoys proximity to a port and it has a number of industrial zones within it.
What does one have to do before a regression analysis?
Before undertaking regression analysis, one must decide on which variables will be analysed. Regression analysis is predicting a variable from a number of other variables.
How do you decide which number is numerator?
The top number.
Why do cicadas come out during prime number years?
Suppose the cicadas come out every C years and a predator comes out every P years. Then the life cycles of the predator and the cicadas will coincide every LCM(C, P) years. The predator will want it to happen as often as possible while the cicadas want that to happen as seldom as possible. If C is co-prime with P then the cycles coincide after CP years - which is best for the cicada.Suppose the cicadas come out every C years and a predator comes out every P years. Then the life cycles of the predator and the cicadas will coincide every LCM(C, P) years. The predator will want it to happen as often as possible while the cicadas want that to happen as seldom as possible. If C is co-prime with P then the cycles coincide after CP years - which is best for the cicada.Suppose the cicadas come out every C years and a predator comes out every P years. Then the life cycles of the predator and the cicadas will coincide every LCM(C, P) years. The predator will want it to happen as often as possible while the cicadas want that to happen as seldom as possible. If C is co-prime with P then the cycles coincide after CP years - which is best for the cicada.Suppose the cicadas come out every C years and a predator comes out every P years. Then the life cycles of the predator and the cicadas will coincide every LCM(C, P) years. The predator will want it to happen as often as possible while the cicadas want that to happen as seldom as possible. If C is co-prime with P then the cycles coincide after CP years - which is best for the cicada.
What is fulkerson rule?
- identify an initial event and number it as 1 ( an initial event is one which has activities or arrows emerging from it and none entering it - delete the arrows emerging from event 1 so as to create one or more initial events - number these new initial events as 2,3,4..... - repeat steps 2 & 3 until last event is obtained which has no arrows emerging out of it.
Tap roots have one large root with a?
Number of lateral roots emerging from the large root
How did Mendeleyev finally decide to arrange his cards?
He Decide to go from smallest atomic number to largest atomic number.
