The Vital Role of Predators

A new predator is introduced into a forest ecosystem that preys on both rabbits and squirrels. After several years, the rabbit population declines significantly while the squirrel population remains relatively stable. What is the most likely explanation for this pattern?

• The predator prefers to hunt squirrels over rabbits.

• The predator prefers to hunt rabbits over squirrels.

• The predator has an equal preference for hunting both rabbits and squirrels.

• The decline in the rabbit population is unrelated to the presence of the predator.

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In a forest ecosystem, the population of wolves has increased significantly over the past decade, leading to a decrease in the population of moose. A biologist hypothesizes that the increase in the wolf population has led to a decrease in the moose population. Which of the following observations would best support this hypothesis?

• The moose population has decreased due to disease.

• The wolf population has decreased due to hunting.

• The wolf population has increased due to a decrease in the population of deer, which has led to an increase in the population of plants that the moose eat.

• The moose population has decreased due to an increase in the number of predators that also prey on moose, such as bears and cougars.

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Predator population lags behind prey population because:

• Increase in predators leads to decrease in prey

• Increase in predators leads to increase in prey

• Increase in predators leads to decrease in producers

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What statement is TRUE about the graph?

• The prey is the green line because there needs to be more prey than predators.
• The prey is the red line because there needs to be more predators than prey.
• The green line is the producers
• The red line is the producers

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Predator and prey populations are linked. For example, if the number of prey decreases, then the number of predators will ___________

• increase

• decrease

• stay the same

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TRUE OR FALSE:

Removing a top predator from an ecosystem is always a good thing for the prey that live there.

• True

• False

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An organism that is killed and eaten by another organism

• Predator
• Prey
• Competition
• Adaptation

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Barn owls hunt shrews. In this example what is a barn owl?

• Herbivore/Predator
• Carnivore/Prey
• Carnivore/Predator

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Which of the following would be considered to be prey?

• an animal that has to hunt for its food
• an animal that is eaten by another animal
• an organism that makes it own food
• an organism that feeds on the blood of another animal

A consumer that hunts is called:

• a producer.
• an omnivore.
• a predator.
• a herbivore.

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