Question

Which of the following most accurately predicts how competition and disease can affect populations?

Diseases only affect the population of the species it is infecting.

Competition and disease both can cause a decline in the population and affect other species in the area.

Competition does not affect populations of species.

Diseases can sweep through a species and cause an increase in the population. This can impact other species in the area that are in the same food web

Answer 1

"Competition and disease both can cause a decline in the population and affect other species in the area."

Reason: Competition and disease commonly reduce population size of the affected species, and both produce indirect effects on other species through food webs and interactions (e.g., fewer prey for predators, competitive release allowing a rival species to increase, or altered parasite-host dynamics).