A biologist studying a desert ecosystem observes that the population of a lizard species increases following a particularly hot, dry period that causes a snake population to decline. What could the biologist hypothesize about the roles of these two species?
A.The lizard preys on the snake
B.The lizard is a parasite of the snake
C.The snake and lizard use the same limiting resource
D.The snake is a keystone species in the ecosystem
The answer is D. i got that 100% correct
Yeah , I thin that it’s D .
Hey, remember when we were trying to look for the first answer? XD
To hypothesize about the roles of the lizard and snake species in this desert ecosystem, the biologist would need to consider the observed increase in lizard population following a decline in snake population. Here are some possible explanations:
A. The lizard preys on the snake: This hypothesis suggests that the lizard species feeds on the snake, leading to a decline in the snake population. However, it does not explain why the lizard population then increases.
B. The lizard is a parasite of the snake: This hypothesis suggests that the lizard species is a parasite that negatively affects the snake population. However, it also does not provide an explanation for the subsequent increase in lizard population.
C. The snake and lizard use the same limiting resource: This hypothesis suggests that both species compete for a limited resource, such as food or shelter. During the hot and dry period, when the snake population declines due to limited resources, the lizard population could thrive by exploiting different resources that are more available. This could explain the observed increase in lizard population.
D. The snake is a keystone species in the ecosystem: This hypothesis suggests that the snake plays a critical role in the ecosystem, and its decline negatively impacts the overall balance of the ecosystem. As a result, other populations, such as the lizard, may experience a population boom due to the absence of predation or competition from the snakes.
To further investigate and determine the most plausible hypothesis, the biologist could conduct additional studies, such as observing the feeding habits of lizards and snakes, analyzing resource usage, and studying the overall ecosystem dynamics. This would provide more information to support or refute each hypothesis.