Green sea turtles eat sea grass that grows on the sea floor. Seagrass, a foundation species, provides an important breeding ground for fish and other marine organisms. A conservation program for the green sea turtles plans to introduce more turtles into an ecosystem. What could be the immediate effect of this on the ecosystem?

Question

Green sea turtles eat sea grass that grows on the sea floor. Seagrass, a foundation species, provides an important breeding ground for fish and other marine organisms. A conservation program for the green sea turtles plans to introduce more turtles into an ecosystem. What could be the immediate effect of this on the ecosystem?

A) More species of fish would migrate to the region.
B) The new turtles would drive out the existing population.
C) The region would witness a spurt in the growth of sea grass.
D) There would be a decrease in the population of marine organisms.

I chose D.

Answer 1

However, the correct answer is actually C. The introduction of more green sea turtles would result in an increase in the consumption of sea grass, which would stimulate its growth. This would provide a more favorable environment for other marine organisms that rely on seagrass. A decrease in population of marine organisms would not occur unless there was a significant disruption in the ecosystem balance.