Question
The food chain below shows the original feeding relationships of four different organisms in a rural environment.
After a time, the rat population grew too large. To reduce the rat population, local farmers introduced cats, which are efficient predators of rats. The plan was successful, and the rat population began to decrease.
Which of the following populations will most likely decline as a result of decreased food availability?
A.
the snake population only
B.
the insect population only
C.
the rat population only
D.
the snake, rat, and insect populations
After a time, the rat population grew too large. To reduce the rat population, local farmers introduced cats, which are efficient predators of rats. The plan was successful, and the rat population began to decrease.
Which of the following populations will most likely decline as a result of decreased food availability?
A.
the snake population only
B.
the insect population only
C.
the rat population only
D.
the snake, rat, and insect populations
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
In this scenario, when local farmers introduced cats to control the rat population, the rat population began to decline due to increased predation. As the rat population decreases, there are a few potential effects on the other populations in the food chain.
1. **Snake Population**: If snakes are predators that rely on rats as a significant food source, the decline in the rat population could lead to a decrease in the snake population over time due to reduced food availability.
2. **Insect Population**: The insect population is not directly affected by the decline in the rat population unless there is a specific link in the food chain (for example, if the insects are a food source for the rats or if the decrease in rats somehow affects the insects). However, in a typical rural food chain, insects might not be directly impacted by changes in the rat population.
3. **Rat Population**: This is the population being reduced intentionally through the introduction of cats, so it will not decline further as a result of reduced food availability—it is already in decline due to predation.
Given this information, the most likely population to decline as a result of decreased food availability, specifically due to the decline in rats, is:
**A. the snake population only**
This is based on the assumption that snakes rely on rats as a food source.
1. **Snake Population**: If snakes are predators that rely on rats as a significant food source, the decline in the rat population could lead to a decrease in the snake population over time due to reduced food availability.
2. **Insect Population**: The insect population is not directly affected by the decline in the rat population unless there is a specific link in the food chain (for example, if the insects are a food source for the rats or if the decrease in rats somehow affects the insects). However, in a typical rural food chain, insects might not be directly impacted by changes in the rat population.
3. **Rat Population**: This is the population being reduced intentionally through the introduction of cats, so it will not decline further as a result of reduced food availability—it is already in decline due to predation.
Given this information, the most likely population to decline as a result of decreased food availability, specifically due to the decline in rats, is:
**A. the snake population only**
This is based on the assumption that snakes rely on rats as a food source.