A biologist studying a desert ecosystem observes that the population of a lizard species increases following a particularly hot, dry period that causes a snake population to decline. What could the biologist hypothesize about the roles of these two species?
A.The lizard preys on the snake
B.The lizard is a parasite of the snake
C.The snake and lizard use the same limiting resource
D.The snake is a keystone species in the ecosystem
The snake seems to be in charge of controlling the lizard populations, a function fulfilled by a keystone species.
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To hypothesize about the roles of these two species, the biologist would need to analyze the observations and consider the ecological interactions between the lizard and snake populations.
One possible hypothesis is that the lizard preys on the snake. This would explain the increase in lizard population following the decline of the snake population.
To further investigate this hypothesis, the biologist could conduct field observations or experiments to observe if lizards actively hunt and consume snakes. They could also analyze the stomach contents of lizards to determine if snake predation is a common occurrence.
If the hypothesis is supported by evidence, it suggests that the lizard plays a predatory role in the ecosystem, regulating the population of snakes.
Another hypothesis could be that the lizard is a parasite of the snake. However, for this hypothesis to be plausible, the biologist would need to gather specific evidence supporting the existence of parasitic interactions between the two species, such as evidence of the lizard benefiting at the expense of the snake's health or reproduction.
Alternatively, the biologist could hypothesize that the snake and lizard use the same limiting resource. In this case, the hot, dry period might have negatively impacted the availability of this resource for the snake, leading to a decline in its population. The lizard, however, might have a different resource preference or be more adapted to tolerate harsh environmental conditions, explaining its population increase.
To test this hypothesis, the biologist could examine resource availability and utilization by both species, such as food consumption and habitat preferences. They could also consider the impacts of environmental factors, like heat and dryness, on the resource availability.
Lastly, the biologist could hypothesize that the snake is a keystone species in the ecosystem. A keystone species is one that has a disproportionate impact on the ecosystem compared to its abundance. This hypothesis suggests that the snake, through its ecological role or interactions, influences the population dynamics of other species, including the lizard.
To investigate this hypothesis, the biologist could study the ecological network of the desert ecosystem, determining how the presence of the snake affects the abundance and behavior of other species, including the lizard. They could also examine the consequences of the snake population decline on the ecosystem structure and functioning.
In conclusion, the biologist has multiple potential hypotheses about the roles of the lizard and snake in the desert ecosystem. To determine the true role of these species, the biologist would need to gather evidence and conduct further research through observations, experiments, and ecological analysis.