Biodiversity and Ecological Health Quick Check 1 of 41 of 4 Items Question Imagine that an ecosystem contains rabbits, foxes, wolves, and deer. The following predator-prey relationships exist: Rabbits are eaten by foxes and wolves Deer are eaten by wolves Foxes are eaten by wolves Select the animal whose absence would have the greatest negative effect on the ecosystem. (1 point) Responses deer deer rabbit rabbit fox fox wolf
The animal whose absence would have the greatest negative effect on the ecosystem is the wolf. Wolves help control the populations of both deer and rabbits, so their absence would lead to overpopulation of these prey species and could disrupt the balance of the ecosystem.
