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.
Item 1
Item 2
Item 3
Item 4
(1 point)
• wolf
0 fox
• deer
• rabbit

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

The animal whose absence would have the greatest negative effect on the ecosystem is the wolf. Without wolves, there would be an unchecked population growth of both foxes and deer, which would lead to a decrease in rabbit population and potentially disrupt the balance of the ecosystem. Wolves play a crucial role in regulating the populations of their prey and maintaining a healthy ecosystem.