Question

organisms are dependent on each other for the energy they need to survive. photos (left to right) by mehmet karatay, jens buurgaard nielsen, furryscaly, and walter siegmund what would occur if the snake population is removed from the ecosystem pictured above? the hawk population increases the mouse population increases the leaf population increases the mouse population is not affected

Explanation:

In an ecosystem, organisms have predator - prey relationships. Snakes prey on mice. If snakes (predators) are removed, the limiting factor (predation) for mice is gone. Hawks may have less food (if snakes were part of their diet, but the main direct impact is on mice). Leaves are part of the producer level. Removing snakes won't directly make leaves increase as mice (herbivores that might eat leaves) would have less predation.

Answer:

the mouse population increases