White-tailed deer live in forested areas and eat plants. Space is a limiting factor for all organisms. White-tailed deer in a forest ecosystem are using all of the space available in this ecosystem.

Question

If there is a large increase in the amount of plants available in the area for the deer to eat, what will most likely happen to the population of white-tailed deer in this ecosystem?
A.
It will decrease immediately because the deer will stop eating plants and begin feeding on other animals.
B.
It will not change because food is not an important factor for population growth in deer.
C.
It will increase forever because food is the only important need of an organism.
D.
It will increase at first, but the deer will become overcrowded, causing the population to decrease.

Answer 1

The most likely outcome of a large increase in the amount of plants available for white-tailed deer in the ecosystem is:

D. It will increase at first, but the deer will become overcrowded, causing the population to decrease.

Initially, the increased availability of food (plants) will likely lead to an increase in the deer population as more resources support higher numbers. However, as the population grows, the deer may eventually face competition for space and other resources, leading to overcrowding. This can result in increased stress on the population, potential food shortages, and ultimately, a decrease in population size as the carrying capacity of the ecosystem is exceeded.