Final answer:
Introducing wolves to an ecosystem would likely lead to an immediate decline in the bunny population due to increased predation pressure. Over the long term, this could lead to significant ecological changes and impact different species and the environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the effects of predator introduction on prey populations in ecosystems.
Introducing wolves to an ecosystem with bunnies will likely result in an immediate decrease in the bunny population.
This is because wolves are predators, and bunnies are a part of their natural diet. When the number of predators in an environment increases, the number of prey typically declines.
This phenomenon occurs due to predation pressure, where predators like wolves hunt and reduce the populations of their prey, in this case, the bunnies.
Further implications of adding a predator can include complex ecological changes.
For instance, in habitats where wolves are keystone species, such as Yellowstone National Park, their presence can lead to a cascade of effects.
Fewer prey animals like deer or elk may allow vegetation to recover, changing the landscape and benefiting other species in the long term.
Conversely, the decline of large carnivores, as observed in various ecosystems around the world, can result in overpopulation of herbivores, which can deplete vegetation, alter the environment, and reduce biodiversity.
In summary, adding wolves would initially decrease the size of the bunny population.
However, the long-term ecological impact includes a broad range of changes in plant, prey, and other predator populations due to the intricate balance within food webs.