2. food web interactions (mangrove forest food web)\npractice prompts:\n4. if rabbits are overhunted, what…

2. food web interactions (mangrove forest food web)\npractice prompts:\n4. if rabbits are overhunted, what could potentially happen to the food web?\n5. if a disease kills all mice, how would competition increase between the owls and birds?\n7. if birds started eating fewer grasshoppers, what might happen to the grass and to the owl population over time?\n8. if humans introduced a new predator that hunted both foxes and owls, how might the balance of the food web change?

2. food web interactions (mangrove forest food web)\npractice prompts:\n4. if rabbits are overhunted, what could potentially happen to the food web?\n5. if a disease kills all mice, how would competition increase between the owls and birds?\n7. if birds started eating fewer grasshoppers, what might happen to the grass and to the owl population over time?\n8. if humans introduced a new predator that hunted both foxes and owls, how might the balance of the food web change?

Answer

Brief Explanations:

  1. Rabbits are prey for foxes. If over - hunted, foxes may have less food, and their population could decline. Also, plants (carrots) that rabbits eat may increase in number.
  2. Mice are prey for both owls and birds. If mice die from disease, owls and birds will compete more for the remaining food sources like grasshoppers.
  3. If birds eat fewer grasshoppers, grasshopper population may increase, over - consuming grass. With less food (grasshoppers and potentially mice if grasshoppers over - consume grass affecting mice food sources), the owl population may decline.
  4. If a new predator hunts foxes and owls, their populations will decrease. This can lead to an increase in their prey (rabbits, mice, grasshoppers). More prey may over - consume plants, disrupting the food web balance.

Answer:

  1. Fox population may decline, carrot population may increase.
  2. Owls and birds will compete more for remaining food sources.
  3. Grass may be over - consumed, owl population may decline.
  4. Populations of foxes and owls decrease, populations of their prey may increase and disrupt plant populations.