Imagine that an ecosystem contains rabbits, foxes, wolves, and deer. The following predator-prey relationships exist: Rabbits are eaten by foxes and wolves Deer are eaten by wolves Foxes are eaten by wolves Select the animal whose absence would have the greatest negative effect on the ecosystem
The animal whose absence would have the greatest negative effect on the ecosystem would be the wolves. Wolves play a crucial role as top predators in this ecosystem. They consume both rabbits and deer, which helps to regulate their populations and maintain balance within the ecosystem. Without wolves, the populations of rabbits and deer would likely increase rapidly, leading to overgrazing of vegetation by the deer and an uncontrolled rabbit population. This would disrupt the food chain and potentially lead to a collapse of the ecosystem.
