Question

biology - u01l10: 10% rule hw 3. adult krill feed on algae found in open water. their larvae feed on algae found under the sea ice. more and more sea ice is melting. will melting sea ice affect the killer whale? explain.

Explanation:

1. First, identify the food chain: Algae (under sea ice) → Krill larvae → Adult krill → Killer whale (assuming killer whales eat krill or organisms that eat krill).
2. Sea ice melting reduces the habitat for algae that krill larvae feed on.
3. Fewer krill larvae will survive, leading to fewer adult krill.
4. With fewer adult krill, the prey for killer whales (if they rely on krill or species that eat krill) decreases, affecting their food availability and potentially their population/survival.

Answer:

Yes, melting sea ice will affect killer whales. Krill larvae feed on algae under sea ice; as ice melts, this algae habitat shrinks, reducing krill larvae survival. Fewer larvae mean fewer adult krill, which are part of the killer whale’s food web (either directly or indirectly). Reduced krill availability can limit the killer whale’s food supply, impacting their population, health, or behavior.