Scientists researching Pacific sea otters find that many members of the population are infected by a parasite, and a number of the sea otters must be destroyed to save the entire sea otter population. One of the main foods of sea otters is sea urchin, which eat kelp. The kelp forest is home to many species of fish. How is destroying some of the sea otters most likely to affect fish living in the kelp forest?
Emergency sea otters needed to save California's kelp forests
a
Destroying the sea otters will cause the fish population to increase.
b
Destroying the sea otters will cause the fish population to become extinct.
c
Destroying the sea otters will allow the fish population to remain constant.
d
Destroying the sea otters will cause the fish population to decrease.
d. Destroying the sea otters will cause the fish population to decrease.
Sea otters play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem by controlling the population of sea urchins, which prey on kelp. Without sea otters to keep the sea urchin population in check, the sea urchins will overgraze the kelp forests, leading to a decline in the kelp habitat. This will in turn negatively impact the fish species that rely on the kelp forest for food and shelter, resulting in a decrease in the fish population.