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Multiple Choice
Imagine all the grasshoppers are removed and excluded from an ecosystem. Which of the following is the most likely immediate effect on the food web?
A
There will be no effect on any other species in the ecosystem.
B
Plants consumed by grasshoppers will decrease in abundance.
C
The population of grasshoppers will increase rapidly.
D
Predators that rely on grasshoppers will experience a decline in population due to loss of a food source.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Begin by understanding the role of grasshoppers in the ecosystem. Grasshoppers are primary consumers, meaning they feed on plants and serve as a food source for higher trophic levels, such as predators.
Step 2: Analyze the immediate impact of removing grasshoppers from the ecosystem. Without grasshoppers, predators that rely on them as a food source will lose a key part of their diet, leading to a decline in their population.
Step 3: Consider the indirect effects on plants. Since grasshoppers are herbivores, their removal might lead to an increase in plant abundance, as there are fewer organisms consuming them.
Step 4: Evaluate the incorrect options. For example, the population of grasshoppers cannot increase if they are removed, and it is unlikely that there will be no effect on other species, as ecosystems are interconnected.
Step 5: Conclude that the most immediate and likely effect is a decline in the population of predators that rely on grasshoppers as a food source, due to the disruption in the food web.