Question

A local area contains a stable desert biome. The

residents often use hiking trails through the dessert for
exercise. Many of the residents complain about the
numerous cacti in the area, stating that their pets
often get too close they get cactus needles stuck on
their face causing injury. The residents have
suggested removing all the cacti from the area. The
city council is considering this and has consulted a
local ecologist who has constructed the food web
shown. Which of the following statements correctly
identifies a concern the ecologist may have about the
proposed plan?
a. Grasshoppers will no longer have a food source.
b. More of the available energy in the food web will
be lost metabolism.
c.The removal of producers will affect all other
trophic levels.
d.More grass will grow eliminating the desert
environment.

Answer 1

The answer is D. More grass will grow to eliminate the desert environment

Step-by-step explanation:

Because if cactus plants are removed and replaced with grasses, they will not greatly change the desert ecosystem. Because cactus is not the main source or producer in the desert. There are not many animals that depend on cactus, for example, desert snakes, desert lizards, and other animals. The animals can eat staple foods besides cactus.

By replacing the existence of the desert with grass, it will provide a better life or ecosystem for the desert. Animals can also breed and live more safely in the desert.

#AnswerForTrees

Answer 2

Option(C)

The removal of producers will affect all other trophic levels

Explanation:

Consider a food web where Cactus (producer) --> grasshoppers (primary consumer) --> frogs (secondary consumers). If the ecologists have decided to cut off all the cactus in the area, it would result in collapse of the entire food web.

The primary consumer i.e., the grasshoppers which feed on producers, i.e., the cactus would die off. The next to be affected would be the secondary consumer, i.e., the frog. In this way, the whole trophic level would be disturbed.