Scientists researching Pacific sea otters find that many members of the population are infected by a parasite, and a number of the sea otters must be destroyed to save the entire sea otter population. One of the main foods of sea otters is sea urchin, which eat kelp. The kelp forest is home to many species of fish. How is destroying some of the sea otters most likely to affect fish living in the kelp forest?
Emergency sea otters needed to save California's kelp forests
a
Destroying the sea otters will cause the fish population to become extinct.
b
Destroying the sea otters will allow the fish population to remain constant.
c
Destroying the sea otters will cause the fish population to decrease.
d
Destroying the sea otters will cause the fish population to increase.
c. Destroying the sea otters will cause the fish population to decrease.
Sea otters play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the kelp forest ecosystem. By preying on sea urchins, which eat kelp, sea otters help to prevent overgrazing of the kelp forests. If the sea otter population is reduced or eliminated, the sea urchin population may increase, leading to the destruction of the kelp forests. This in turn would disrupt the habitat and food source for many species of fish living in the kelp forest, ultimately leading to a decrease in the fish population.