Question

in a grassland grassland prairie, there are herds of antelope and cattle and a pride of their lionesses with cubs. a conservation program for lions plans to move the pride to a national park fifty miles north. what effect would this move have on the stability of this grassland prairie?

a. the herbivorous animals would initially thrive, but eventual overgrazing would lead to starvation or regression

b. the herbivorous animals would thrive and continue to live on the grassland for many generations

c. the herbivorous animals would also migrate to the national park, because ecosystems tend to maintain balance

d. the herbivorous animal populations would decline as they are now easy targets for hunters and other predators

Explanation:

When the predators (the prides of lions) are removed from the grassland ecosystem, the herbivores (antelopes and zebras) will initially have less predation pressure. However, in a limited - resource environment (grassland), without predators to control their population, the herbivores will overgraze. Overgrazing will lead to a depletion of food resources (grass). As the food runs out, the herbivores will face starvation or will have to migrate in search of food (which is not likely as they are in a grassland and the park is 50 miles north, which is a significant distance for them to migrate en - masse without a clear cue).

Answer:

A. The herbivorous animals would initially thrive, but eventual overgrazing would lead to starvation or migration