Question

Part I

Directions
Read the scenario below and then write a CER to answer the question given.
A community of wolves and red squirrels lives in a coniferous-forest ecosystem in the United.
Kingdom. This forest ecosystem is made up of a variety of trees that have needles or cones rather
than leaves. Other species of animals and plants also inhabit the same area. Wolves are the natural
predator of the red squirrels in the area. Red squirrels eat a variety of tree seeds.
Population Dynamics
Prompt
Write a scientific explanation regarding how the mammal biodiversity of the forest would change if a
new species of squirrel, i.e., the gray squirrel, were introduced to the ecosystem.
Claim
Evidence
Reasoning

Answer 1

Claim: The introduction of a new species of squirrel, the gray squirrel, would likely have a negative impact on the mammal biodiversity of the forest ecosystem.

Evidence: Gray squirrels are known to outcompete and displace red squirrels, which are an important prey species for wolves in the ecosystem. The introduction of gray squirrels could lead to a decline in the population of red squirrels, which in turn could result in a decrease in the population of wolves and other species that rely on these mammals for food or other ecological services.

Reasoning: The introduction of a new species can disrupt the balance of interactions between existing species, leading to negative impacts on biodiversity. It is therefore important to consider the potential impacts of introducing new species to an ecosystem before taking any action. In this case, the introduction of gray squirrels could harm mammal biodiversity in the coniferous-forest ecosystem in the United Kingdom.