Polar bears hunt for ringed seals by waiting for them to emerge from breathing holes in the ice. Which abiotic change may decrease a polar bear’s ability to hunt?(1 point)
Responses
increased competition
increased competition
increased ice cover
increased ice cover
increased temperatures
increased temperatures
increased seal population
increased seal population
The correct answer is "increased ice cover." To understand why increased ice cover may decrease a polar bear's ability to hunt, we need to look at the hunting strategy of polar bears.
Polar bears rely on the ice to create breathing holes for ringed seals, which they hunt as their main source of food. They wait patiently near these breathing holes, and when a seal emerges, they quickly grab it. However, if there is an increased ice cover, it means that there will be more ice and thicker ice formations.
With increased ice cover, the breathing holes may become harder for the bears to find or even completely closed off. This makes it more challenging for polar bears to locate ringed seals and significantly reduces their hunting success. As a result, increased ice cover can decrease a polar bear's ability to hunt effectively.
Therefore, out of the given options, "increased ice cover" is the abiotic change that may decrease a polar bear's ability to hunt.