Answer A:
The red- tailed hawk and the elf owl are the last predators in the food web. The increase or decrease in the population of these predators will imbalance the whole food-web. When these organisms die, the decomposers will feed on them releasing energy.
Answer B:
The increase in population of the elf wolf will cause the population of the Mantids to decline. This is because elf wolf feed on the mantids. An increase in the population will increase the number of predators for the mantids. As a result, their population will decline.
Answer C:
The red- tailed hawk feed on the wood rat. When the population of the wood rat decreases, there will be competition for food between the red- tailed hawks and other species which feed on the wood rats. Only those red- tailed hawks which were better adapted to kill and feed on their prey will survive others will not be able to survive due to scarcity of food. Hence, a decrease in the population of wood rat will decrease the population of red- tailed hawks.
Answer D:
The red tailed hawk and the elf wolf will have the least energy. This is because these organisms will be present on the last trophic level. Energy is lost at each trophic level. Approximately, only 10%of the energy travels from one trophic level to another. Hence, the organisms present on the top of an energy pyramid will have the least energy available.