Final answer:
A decrease in prey population will likely cause a decrease in predator population, due to the prey being a limiting factor for the predator's survival and reproduction. This predator-prey dynamic affects both populations in a cycle of fluctuation.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the population of the prey species decreases, it will likely lead to a subsequent decrease in the predator population. This happens because the prey population serves as a limiting factor for the predator population. Predators will have less food available, which can inhibit their ability to survive and reproduce. Over time, a lack of sufficient prey can result in a lower number of predators. This phenomenon is clearly illustrated by the predator-prey population dynamics, where the size of one population has a direct effect on the other.
In the classic example of the lynx and the snowshoe hare, when the availability of hares (the prey) declines, the population of lynx (the predators) also begins to decline. This is because the lynx depend on the hares for food. The decrease in lynx numbers may allow the hare population to recover as predation pressure eases, eventually restarting the cycle of fluctuation in both populations.