What specific ecological niche, influenced by recent human land use, has *Odocoileus virginianus* excelled at exploiting?
Answer
Edge habitats between fields, forests, and human activity
A major factor in the ongoing evolutionary relevance of *Odocoileus virginianus* is its unparalleled ability to thrive in habitats altered by human expansion. The species demonstrates a genetic predisposition to capitalize on 'edge habitats'—the transitional zones found between cultivated fields, forests, and areas of human development. This behavioral flexibility allows them to exploit novel ecological niches created over the last few centuries of North American land use. This ability to manage fragmented habitats contrasts sharply with species that require intact, pristine ecosystems, which often face much higher extinction risks.
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