Question
Q
A biologist makes predictions regarding the future impact of pollution on the aquatic food web. What will the biologist predict will happen as a result of the coontail plant population change?
There will be more total biomass at the pond snail and bullfrog tadpole trophic levels.
The decrease in a biotic factor will lead to less competition at the first-level consumer trophic level.
There will be less total biomass at the pond snail and bullfrog tadpole trophic levels.
The decrease in an abiotic factor will lead to more competition at the second-level consumer trophic level.
A biologist makes predictions regarding the future impact of pollution on the aquatic food web. What will the biologist predict will happen as a result of the coontail plant population change?
There will be more total biomass at the pond snail and bullfrog tadpole trophic levels.
The decrease in a biotic factor will lead to less competition at the first-level consumer trophic level.
There will be less total biomass at the pond snail and bullfrog tadpole trophic levels.
The decrease in an abiotic factor will lead to more competition at the second-level consumer trophic level.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
In the context of an aquatic food web, if the coontail plant population changes due to pollution, this will impact various trophic levels. If we assume that pollution negatively affects the coontail plant population (which is common, as many pollutants can harm aquatic plants), then this decrease in the plant population can have several consequential effects.
1. **Impact on First-Level Consumers**: Coontail serves as a primary producer in the aquatic ecosystem, providing food and habitat for herbivores such as pond snails. A decrease in the coontail population would likely lead to less available food for pond snails, resulting in a decline in their population.
2. **Impact on Second-Level Consumers**: Bullfrog tadpoles, which may feed on pond snails and other small organisms, would also be affected by the reduction in pond snail population. With fewer pond snails available as a food source, the bullfrog tadpoles would also likely experience a decrease in their population due to the lack of adequate food resources.
Given these considerations, the most accurate prediction is:
**There will be less total biomass at the pond snail and bullfrog tadpole trophic levels.**
This prediction reflects the cascading effects that occur when a primary producer like coontail declines due to pollution, affecting not just the plants themselves but the entire food web connected to them.
1. **Impact on First-Level Consumers**: Coontail serves as a primary producer in the aquatic ecosystem, providing food and habitat for herbivores such as pond snails. A decrease in the coontail population would likely lead to less available food for pond snails, resulting in a decline in their population.
2. **Impact on Second-Level Consumers**: Bullfrog tadpoles, which may feed on pond snails and other small organisms, would also be affected by the reduction in pond snail population. With fewer pond snails available as a food source, the bullfrog tadpoles would also likely experience a decrease in their population due to the lack of adequate food resources.
Given these considerations, the most accurate prediction is:
**There will be less total biomass at the pond snail and bullfrog tadpole trophic levels.**
This prediction reflects the cascading effects that occur when a primary producer like coontail declines due to pollution, affecting not just the plants themselves but the entire food web connected to them.