Question

A type _____ functional response occurs when a predator's rate of prey consumption increases linearly with increasing prey and then satiates?

1) I
2) II
3) III
4) IV

Answer 1

The correct type of functional response where a predator's consumption increases linearly with prey density and then reaches satiation is Type II functional response. Therefore, the correct option in the final answer is 2) II.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the concept of predator-prey interactions and functional response in the field of ecology. The type of functional response that occurs when a predator's rate of prey consumption increases linearly with the number of prey and then reaches a plateau where it becomes satiated is known as Type II functional response. In such a scenario, predator efficiency increases with prey density until a point of satiation, where the rate of prey capture cannot increase further despite an increase in prey density.

This functional response is characterized by a decelerating rate of predation after a certain prey density, representing a balance between prey availability and the predator's capacity to consume them. In contrast, Type I functional response depicts a linear increase in prey consumption without saturation, while Type III shows a sigmoidal curve where predation rate is low at low prey densities, increases rapidly at intermediate densities, and then slows at higher densities. Therefore, the correct option in the final answer is 2) II.