What happens to an ecosystem when the primary consumers disappear?
a
Both the producer and secondary consumer populations increase
b
Both the producer and secondary consumer populations decrease.
c
The producer population decreases, while the secondary consumer population increases.
d
The producer population increases, while the secondary consumer population decreases.
To determine what happens to an ecosystem when the primary consumers disappear, we can use our understanding of ecological relationships.
Primary consumers are organisms that consume the producers in an ecosystem, such as herbivores that eat plants. If the primary consumers were to disappear, it would have a direct impact on the producer population and the secondary consumer population, which consumes the primary consumers.
In this case, option (c) is the correct answer: The producer population decreases, while the secondary consumer population increases.
When primary consumers disappear, the producer population would likely increase because there would be no herbivores to consume them. With fewer herbivores feeding on plants, the producer population can grow unchecked.
However, without primary consumers, the secondary consumer population would decrease because they rely on the primary consumers as their food source. Since there are no primary consumers, the secondary consumers would have a limited food supply, leading to a decrease in their population.
It's important to note that changes in population sizes can have cascading effects on other species and the overall ecosystem dynamics.