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.
a. wolf
b. rabbit
c. fox
d. deer
a. wolf
The absence of wolves would have the greatest negative effect on the ecosystem because they are at the top of the food chain and play a crucial role in controlling the populations of both rabbits and deer. Without wolves, the populations of rabbits and deer would likely increase rapidly, leading to overgrazing, competition for resources, and potentially causing negative impacts on other species in the ecosystem. Wolves help maintain a balance in the ecosystem by controlling the populations of their prey species.