Question
The table below shows several organisms and their food sources. Use the table to answer any questions that follow.
Organism Food Source
Wolf Beavers and moose
Moose Trees (leaves)
Beaver Trees (bark)
Earthworm Organic matter
Tree Makes its own food
Which of the following would most likely happen if the moose disappeared?
a.The number of wolves would increase, as they would no longer compete with moose for food resources.
b.The number of earthworms would decline as the amount of available organic matter would decrease.
c.The number of beavers would decline as they became the wolves' primary food source.
d.The number of trees would decline, as moose would no longer fertilize them.
Organism Food Source
Wolf Beavers and moose
Moose Trees (leaves)
Beaver Trees (bark)
Earthworm Organic matter
Tree Makes its own food
Which of the following would most likely happen if the moose disappeared?
a.The number of wolves would increase, as they would no longer compete with moose for food resources.
b.The number of earthworms would decline as the amount of available organic matter would decrease.
c.The number of beavers would decline as they became the wolves' primary food source.
d.The number of trees would decline, as moose would no longer fertilize them.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The most likely outcome if the moose disappeared would be:
**c. The number of beavers would decline as they became the wolves' primary food source.**
Here's the reasoning:
- If moose disappeared, wolves would face a reduction in available prey, potentially leading them to prey more on beavers, which could then cause a decline in the beaver population.
- Option **a** is incorrect because the number of wolves would likely not increase; instead, they might face food scarcity in the absence of moose.
- Option **b** is not directly connected to the moose's disappearance, as earthworms thrive on organic matter, which may not be impacted directly.
- Option **d** is also inaccurate since moose do not fertilize trees; they eat leaves from them. If moose are gone, this would not directly lead to a reduction in trees but might impact the ecosystem in other ways.
Therefore, option c encapsulates the likely predator-prey dynamic that would evolve in the absence of moose.
**c. The number of beavers would decline as they became the wolves' primary food source.**
Here's the reasoning:
- If moose disappeared, wolves would face a reduction in available prey, potentially leading them to prey more on beavers, which could then cause a decline in the beaver population.
- Option **a** is incorrect because the number of wolves would likely not increase; instead, they might face food scarcity in the absence of moose.
- Option **b** is not directly connected to the moose's disappearance, as earthworms thrive on organic matter, which may not be impacted directly.
- Option **d** is also inaccurate since moose do not fertilize trees; they eat leaves from them. If moose are gone, this would not directly lead to a reduction in trees but might impact the ecosystem in other ways.
Therefore, option c encapsulates the likely predator-prey dynamic that would evolve in the absence of moose.