Question

Six friends are visiting an island. The island is very far away from other landmasses. No other humans live on the island. They discover that a number of plants, mammals, reptiles and insects live on the island. After dinner one night, the friends talk about how the island would change if all the plants on the island disappeared overnight.

This is what they said:

Courtney: “It is obvious that everything that eats plants would die but all the other organisms on the island would be okay.”

Jose: “Courtney I think the organisms that eat plants would just learn to eat other things. So initially they might decline in numbers but eventually their numbers would increase back to their current amount.”

Raquan: “I have to disagree with both of you. I think that all of the organisms on the island would die, because at some point even the mammals who don’t eat plants directly would ultimately discover that what they usually ate has already died.”

Mike: “I kind of agree with Courtney, except I don’t think that all of the things that eat plants will die. I think the things that eat both plants and animals would live and only those that can’t or won’t eat animals will die.”

Keisha: “Mike is right. I would add that since there are fewer things for the larger mammals to eat that we would ultimately see fewer of them on the island.”

Alex: “I argue that organisms that eat plants would learn to swim so they can eat the seaweed and algae in the water.”



Directions: Based on each person’s statement, identify if you agree or disagree then explain your reasoning.

Answer 1

Courtney's statement: Disagree

All organisms even which do not depend on plants s food have an indirect connection with the plants. The consumers on which these animals feed somehow are dependent on the primary consumers which feed on plants.

Jose's statement: Disagree

Even if the organisms learn to eat other things, yet every other organism will be dependent on the producers such as plants in some way or the other.

Raquan's statement: Agree

All the organisms will eventually die even if they change their food because the food chain or food web always starts with the producers.

Mike's statement: Disagree

All the organisms will die as there will be no primary source of nutrition.

Keisha: Agree

The population of the mammals will decline.

Alex: Disagree