Question

Which statement describes the most likely effect of removing apredator that is a keystone species from an ecosystem?O A. The decrease in predators will cause prey populations toincrease rapidly, disrupting both biotic and abiotic factorsin the ecosystem.O B. The decrease in the predator population will causeirreversible changes to the prey population, which willbecome stable.O C. The decrease in the keystone predator will result in a newpredator taking its place to make the ecosystem morestable.O D. The decrease in predators will cause the prey populationsto decrease sharply, causing the ecosystem to becomeunstable.SUBMIT

Answer 1

A. The decrease in predators will cause prey populations to

increase rapidly, disrupting both biotic and abiotic factors

in the ecosystem.

Step-by-step explanation

If the keystone predator is removed, no other species would be able to fill its ecological niche. The ecosystem would be forced to radically change, allowing new and possibly invasive species to populate the habitat. A keystone species that is a predator controls the herbivore populations, which in turn maintains the plant populations and keeps balance.

Although removal of a keystone species will alter the food web on an ecosystem, some parts will persist.