Final answer:
The extinction of wolves, a keystone species, can lead to increased predation on wild rabbits and impact barred owls due to prey imbalance. Wolves help maintain ecological balance, and without them, cascading effects throughout the ecosystem can lead to the decline of various species.
Step-by-step explanation:
The extinction of wolves, a keystone species, can have devastating effects on ecosystems, as evidenced by their impact on regions like Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Wolves play a critical role in regulating the populations and behaviors of herbivores such as elk, which in turn affects plant communities and the overall biodiversity of the area. The disappearance of wolves can lead to a phenomenon known as a 'trophic cascade,' where the absence of a top predator results in the overpopulation of herbivores, excessive consumption of plant life, and subsequent declines in the diversity of other species.
Organism 1 that could be negatively impacted by the wolves' extinction is wild rabbits. These animals might face increased predation by other animals that wolves would typically keep in check, such as coyotes. As the wolves' prey shift their focus to smaller animals, rabbit populations could decline sharply.
Organism 2 that might suffer from the wolves' extinction is the barred owl. Owls depend on the availability of small mammals, which can become overpopulated and harder to hunt in the absence of wolves. The resulting imbalance could lead to reduced prey availability for the owls and a decline in their populations.