Any help is appreciated!
An ecosystem contains the following food chain:
Phytoplankton --> shrimp --> copepods --> sunfish --> shark
Which of the following describes a likely change in this ecosystem if the shrimp population was depleted by fishing?
A. The copepod population would increase.
B. The shark population would decrease.**
C. The sunfish population would increase.
D. The phytoplankton population would decrease.
Star -- D is wrong!!!
Andrew is right. The answer is B.
The likely change in this ecosystem if the shrimp population was depleted by fishing is that the shark population would decrease (Option B). Since shrimp are prey for copepods, if the shrimp population is depleted, there will be a decrease in the population of copepods, which are the primary food source for sunfish. As a consequence, the population of sunfish, which are prey for sharks, would also decrease.
To determine the likely change in the ecosystem if the shrimp population was depleted by fishing, we need to understand the concept of ecological relationships and how changes in one species can affect others in a food chain.
In this given food chain: Phytoplankton --> shrimp --> copepods --> sunfish --> shark, the shrimp occupies a critical role as the primary consumer of phytoplankton and the main food source for copepods. Thus, any change in the shrimp population can have a cascading effect on the rest of the food chain.
If the shrimp population is depleted due to fishing, it would lead to a decrease in the availability of food for copepods, which would then have consequences for the rest of the food chain.
Let's evaluate the answer choices:
A. The copepod population would increase.
Since the shrimp population is the main food source for copepods, if the shrimp population is depleted, it is unlikely that the copepod population would increase. Instead, it would be affected by the lack of sufficient food, and their population might decrease.
B. The shark population would decrease.
Since the shark is situated at the top of the food chain, any decrease in the availability of their prey, such as sunfish, can negatively impact their population. Therefore, if the shrimp population is depleted, it is likely that the shark population would decrease.
C. The sunfish population would increase.
The depletion of the shrimp population would indirectly affect the sunfish population. Since the shrimp is a food source for copepods, and copepods are a food source for sunfish, a decrease in the shrimp population would lead to less available food for sunfish, potentially causing a decrease in their population rather than an increase.
D. The phytoplankton population would decrease.
The depletion of the shrimp population would not directly impact the phytoplankton population, as phytoplankton is the primary producer and not directly affected by changes further up the food chain. Therefore, it is unlikely that the phytoplankton population would decrease due to the depletion of the shrimp population.
Based on our evaluation, the best answer that describes a likely change in this ecosystem if the shrimp population was depleted by fishing is:
B. The shark population would decrease.