what happened to north American costal waters when the great white shark population decreased?
When the great white shark population decreased in North American coastal waters, there were several notable impacts on the marine ecosystem.
1. Increase in prey populations: With fewer great whites to prey on them, populations of various marine animals that are typically preyed upon by great white sharks, such as seals and sea lions, increased. This led to changes in the balance of predator-prey relationships in the ecosystem.
2. Disruption of the food chain: The decrease in great white sharks also disrupted the food chain within the marine ecosystem. As the top predators in the food chain, the absence of great whites allowed for certain prey species to become overpopulated, leading to potential imbalances in the ecosystem.
3. Changes in species distribution: The decrease in great white shark populations may have also influenced the distribution and behavior of other marine species. For example, without the presence of great whites to keep their populations in check, certain prey species may have expanded their range or altered their behavior.
Overall, the decline of the great white shark population in North American coastal waters had cascading effects on the marine ecosystem, impacting the dynamics of predator-prey relationships, the structure of the food chain, and the distribution and behavior of other species.