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A group of ranchers was very concerned about a local wolf population that they thought was preying on their livestock. After several attempts, they persuaded a court to authorize a hunt in order to eliminate the wolf population in their area. The court set a quota of 200 wolves, to be eliminated over the course of six months. 15. State a negative effect that the removal of these wolves might have on the habitat. 16. How would this hunt affect the biodiversity of the area's natural ecosystem? 17. Suppose that you are a local environmental offi- cial in the area. Propose a plan that would pre- serve the wolves yet keep them away from the ranchers' livestock.

User A H K
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Step-by-step explanation:

The wolf, like other large predators, is a key species in the functioning of ecosystems, since they regulate food chains from the top link. Now, with the excessive hunting of this great predator, there is an ecosystem imbalance because the food web where the wolf is involved would be destabilized. The absence of these carnivores can cause populations of their prey such as herbivores (moose) to increase dramatically and the vegetation of the natural area to be affected due to excessive herbivorous activity. This can cause biodiversity to be affected because the riparian forests (willows, poplars, alders) can be destabilized and therefore also the banks of the rivers. Therefore, the loss and deterioration of habitats is the main cause of biodiversity loss.

We can conclude that the correct answer is:

Answer:

15. Ecosystem imbalance due to the destabilization of the food web where the wolf is involved.

16. The absence of these carnivores can cause populations of their prey such as herbivores (moose) to increase dramatically and the vegetation of the natural area to be affected due to excessive herbivorous activity. This can cause biodiversity to be affected because the riparian forests (willows, poplars, alders) can be destabilized and therefore also the banks of the rivers. Therefore, the loss and deterioration of habitats is the main cause of biodiversity loss. In fact, many scavenger species (magpies, eagles, ravens, bears) depend on wolves because they can prey on the remains of wolf prey. If there is damage to the vegetation of the natural area due to the excessive hunting of wolves, many birds would be affected, as well as beavers, amphibians, reptiles, and fish.

17. First of all, new or novel herding devices and herding methods must exist so that wolves do not get used to them and lose their natural wariness and caution. Increasing risk perception in wolves can help reduce livestock deaths caused by wolves. On the other hand, it is also possible to build pens to keep the cattle overnight in a small paddock, instead of fencing off large paddocks of many hectares. Finally, sheep and goat farmers around the world have been seen to use guard dogs to guard their livestock against carnivores and in most cases, the mere presence of the dogs seems to help keep wolves away from livestock.

Keeping a good record of the number of wolves in a natural area can be a valuable tool in resolving cattle-wolf problems. Observation records can help identify trends, problem areas, and vulnerable times of the year, helping to increase the effectiveness of preventative measures. For example, keeping good records helps identify grazing areas where predator problems repeatedly occur.

User Robert Parham
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