Question

A forest fire burns down most of the trees in a large forest. The animals that live in the trees are forced to move to other areas. What kind of disturbance is this?

A. Cyclical
B. Small
C. Primary
D. Secondary

Answer 1

Answer: D. Secondary

Step-by-step explanation:

An ecological disturbance is a circumstance caused by an agent that can be of biological or non-biological origin. The agent is capable of bringing negative changes to an ecosystem. Fire is an example of ecological disturbance. In the given situation, the forest burns down the trees are an example of the direct interaction of fire with the trees; therefore, it is a primary disturbance. Nevertheless, this interaction led to the loss of habitat of animals forced to move to other areas as the fire burned the trees. It is called secondary disturbance.