Question

select the correct answer.
a river has different populations of lampreys and paddlefish. the paddlefish feed on zooplankton, while the lampreys feed on the paddlefish. humans living around the river hunt the paddlefish. what will happen to the ecosystem if the paddlefish are hunted in excess?
a. the population of lamprey will decrease, while the population of paddlefish will increase.
b. the population of paddlefish will decrease, while the population of zooplankton will increase.
c. the population of paddlefish will increase, while the population of zooplankton will decrease.
d. the population of lamprey will increase, while the population of zooplankton will decrease.

Explanation:

If paddlefish are hunted in excess, their population will decrease. Since lampreys feed on paddlefish, a decrease in paddlefish population will lead to a decrease in lamprey population. Paddlefish feed on zooplankton. With fewer paddlefish, there will be less predation on zooplankton, so the zooplankton population will increase.

Answer:

B. The population of paddlefish will decrease, while the population of zooplankton will increase.