Question

this food chain shows organisms in a grassland ecosystem. slender wheatgrass pocket gopher bull snake golden eagle use the food chain to complete the text below. if the population of bull snakes increases, pocket gophers will be likely to survive and produce offspring. so, the population of pocket gophers will likely

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze the food - chain relationship

In the food chain "slender wheatgrass → pocket gopher → bull snake → golden eagle", bull snakes are predators of pocket gophers.

Step2: Determine the impact of predator population increase

When the population of predators (bull snakes) increases, they will consume more prey (pocket gophers). So pocket gophers will be less likely to survive and produce offspring.

Step3: Conclude the population change

As a result, the population of pocket gophers will likely decrease.

Answer:

less; decrease