Question

mice eat fruits and nuts, and snakes eat mice. which of the following is most likely to happen if snakes are removed from the community?
a the number of fruits and nuts will increase, but mice populations will be unchanged.
b the number of fruits and nuts will increase, and mice populations will also increase.
c the number of fruits and nuts will be unchanged, and mice populations will also be unchanged.
d the number of fruits and nuts will be unchanged, but mice populations will decrease.
e the number of fruits and nuts will decrease, but mice populations will increase.

question 17
2 points
______ states that two species cannot coexist indefinitely in the same niche:
a endosymbiotic theory
b zonal exclusion theory
c co - inclusion principle

Explanation:

For the first question: Snakes are predators of mice. Removing snakes reduces predation pressure, so mice populations increase. Mice eat fruits and nuts, so more mice lead to more consumption, decreasing fruits/nuts.
For the second question: The principle stating two species can’t coexist indefinitely in the same niche is the competitive exclusion principle. Among the options, "Zonal exclusion theory" is the closest match (likely a terminology variant here).

Answer:

First question: E. The number of fruits and nuts will decrease, but mice populations will increase.
Second question: B. Zonal exclusion theory