Question

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Biodiversity and Ecological Health Quick Check
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Question
Imagine that an ecosystem contains rabbits, foxes, wolves, and deer. The following predator-prey relationships exist:

Rabbits are eaten by foxes and wolves
Deer are eaten by wolves
Foxes are eaten by wolves
Select the animal whose absence would have the greatest negative effect on the ecosystem.



(1 point)
Responses

rabbit
rabbit

deer
deer

wolf
wolf

fox
fox
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Answer 1

In the described ecosystem, the animal whose absence would have the greatest negative effect is the **wolf**.

Here's the reasoning:

- **Wolves are top predators** in this ecosystem, meaning they help control the populations of both deer and foxes, as well as rabbits indirectly.
- If wolves were absent, rabbit populations might explode due to decreased predation, potentially leading to overgrazing and depletion of vegetation.
- Without wolves, deer populations could also increase unchecked, possibly leading to overbrowsing of plants and altering the ecosystem drastically.
- Additionally, without wolves, fox populations may increase, leading to increased competition for rabbits.

In summary, the wolf plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem, and its absence would have widespread negative effects.