Question

In the western United States, coyotes pose a danger to sheep. Sheep farmers want to thin the population of coyotes to prevent losses. Which of the following is most likely to be the result of killing many coyotes?


Populations of primary consumers other than sheep will exceed carrying capacity.


Populations of decomposers that feed on dead coyotes will increase.


Populations of secondary consumers other than coyotes will decrease.


Populations of grasses on which the sheep feed will exceed carrying capacity.

Answer 1

Killing many coyotes, which are top predators, would likely disrupt the local ecosystem. In the case where coyotes are removed, their role in controlling the populations of other species (especially primary consumers like rabbits and rodents) would be diminished. This could lead to an increase in the populations of these primary consumers, which may overconsume vegetation and potentially result in overgrazing.

Given that context, the best answer from the provided options is:

**Populations of primary consumers other than sheep will exceed carrying capacity.**

This outcome illustrates how the removal of a predator can lead to an increase in the population of species they would normally keep in check, potentially leading to ecological imbalances.