Question

Directions: Read the passage and answer the question below.

Silver carp are an invasive species of fish that is not native to the United States.
However, populations of silver carp now inhabit the rivers of the United States
and can be found throughout the Mississippi River system. Silver carp feed on
phytoplankton, including algae, consuming up to 20% of their body weight daily.
Carp can lay hundreds of thousands of eggs at a time, several times a year. They
are capable of jumping over barriers, including low dams, and can travel to new
areas when flooding connects previously unconnected bodies of water. No
native fish in the Mississippi river eat silver carp.
Which of these claims BEST explains why the carp population is growing
continuously in the Mississippi River System?
A. The carp has many natural predators in the lake.
B. The carp only breed at certain times of year and lay very few eggs
C. The carp have many offspring and have few limiting factors
D. The carp are eaten by humans frequently,

Answer 1

The silver carp population continues to grow in the Mississippi River System due to their rapid reproduction and lack of limiting factors such as natural predators.

Step-by-step explanation:

The continuous growth of the silver carp population in the Mississippi River System can be best explained by C. the carp have many offspring and have few limiting factors. Silver carp are rapid reproducers, laying hundreds of thousands of eggs several times a year, providing them with a high potential for population increase. Furthermore, silver carp are voracious eaters, consuming up to 20% of their body weight in phytoplankton, including algae, every day. This intense feeding reduces the availability of food for native species and can lead to their decline. With the absence of natural predators in the Mississippi River to keep their numbers in check, silver carps are able to multiply uncontrolled and spread to new areas, especially during floods that connect different water bodies.