Two-Part Question

Question

Part A
Multiple Choice Question
The following food web shows the relationships in an ecosystem.

In this ecosystem, trees are being cut down for lumber. Based on the food web, which of the following populations could be affected by fewer trees in the ecosystem?
A.
The shrub population would decrease because deer would be eating more shrubs.
B.
The fungi population would increase because there would be more hawks.
C.
The mountain lion population would increase because there would be more deer.
D.
The deer population would increase because they have more sources of food.
Part B
Multiple Select Question
Using the food web from Part A, which of the following solutions would help restore the natural balance of the ecosystem which was disrupted by the cutting of trees for lumber?
A.
Introduce another predator into the area.
B.
Plant other trees for the deer and the squirrel.
C.
Lengthen the deer hunting season from four months to six months.
D.
Plant more shrubs for the deer and rabbits to eat.

Answer 1

Part A

The question asks which populations could be affected by fewer trees in the ecosystem. In this case, the most likely correct answer is:

A. The shrub population would decrease because deer would be eating more shrubs.

Fewer trees can lead to a loss of habitat and food sources for species that rely on trees, potentially increasing the pressure on shrubs as deer look for alternative food sources.

Part B

To restore the natural balance of the ecosystem disrupted by tree cutting, the following solutions could be effective:

B. Plant other trees for the deer and the squirrel.
D. Plant more shrubs for the deer and rabbits to eat.

Both of these options would help ensure that food sources for herbivores like deer and squirrels are available, potentially restoring balance to the ecosystem.

Options A and C focus on managing predator populations or increasing hunting pressure, which might not directly address the root cause of the ecosystem disruption caused by tree removal.