Question

The results from altered food quality and quantity experiments explain that

A. Food shortage alone is not the explanation for the hare cycles
B. Food shortage is the sole driver of hare cycles
C. Food quality and quantity is irrelevant to hare populations
D. None of the above

Answer 1

The altered food quality and quantity experiments indicate that food shortage alone does not completely explain hare population cycles; rather, a combination of factors including food availability, predation, and density-dependent factors are involved.

Step-by-step explanation:

Understanding Hare Population Cycles

The results from altered food quality and quantity experiments explain that food shortage alone is not the explanation for the hare cycles. This suggests that while food availability does play a role in the population dynamics of hares, other factors such as predation and density-dependent factors like fecundity also significantly influence these cycles. For instance, as the hare population grows, the crowding could lead to maternal stress and lower fecundity, thereby affecting the population size. Additionally, since hares are a primary food source for lynx, the population cycles of hares can induce similar cycles in lynx populations. It follows that ecomplexities within ecosystems require sophisticated models to understand the various interactions affecting population dynamics.