The diagram represents a food web of a particular ecosystem. Suppose a farmer brings more free-range chickens into the ecosystem. What change will most likely occur?
A.
The hawk population will decrease.
B.
The snake population will decrease.
C.
The grasshopper population will decrease.
D.
The grass population will decrease.
The most likely change that will occur if a farmer brings more free-range chickens into the ecosystem is that the grasshopper population will decrease.
Based on the information provided, the addition of more free-range chickens to the ecosystem is likely to cause a decrease in the grasshopper population. This is because free-range chickens are predators of grasshoppers and therefore, an increase in the chicken population will result in more grasshoppers being consumed. Therefore, the correct answer is C. The grasshopper population will decrease.
To answer this question, we need to understand the concept of food webs and the relationships between different organisms in an ecosystem.
A food web shows the complex network of interactions between different species in an ecosystem, illustrating who eats whom. In this particular food web, we need to determine the impact of the introduction of more free-range chickens.
Chickens are typically predators that feed on various organisms, including insects like grasshoppers and plant material like grass. So, by bringing more chickens into the ecosystem, the most likely change would be a decrease in any of the organisms that the chickens commonly feed on.
Looking at the given options:
A. The hawk population will decrease: This option is less likely because hawks are generally higher up in the food chain and don't directly interact with chickens as a food source.
B. The snake population will decrease: Snakes might feed on chickens, but it's less likely that an increase in chickens will have a significant impact on the snake population.
C. The grasshopper population will decrease: This option is more likely since chickens are known to consume grasshoppers.
D. The grass population will decrease: Although chickens do consume grass, they typically have a more significant impact on insect populations.
Therefore, the most likely change that will occur when more free-range chickens are introduced into the ecosystem is that the grasshopper population will decrease.
So, the correct answer is C. The grasshopper population will decrease.