Question

use the predator - prey interactive to answer the questions. keeping all other variables in the interactive at their original values, decrease the starting predator population to 11 and increase the predator death rate to 150%, effectively eliminating predators from the simulation. select the statement that best describes what happens to the prey population. the prey population grows rapidly until it peaks before crashing and going extinct. the prey population grows exponentially and does not decrease. the prey population initially grows, but then stabilizes at a constant level. the prey population continues to fluctuate due to disease and natural disasters. select the best explanation for the results observed. limited resources such as food cause the population to remain at carrying capacity. without predators, there is nothing to prevent exponential growth. disease and natural disasters prevent exponential growth of the prey population. the growing prey population consumed all the available food, causing a population crash. which outcomes would happen if all the predators of a prey population were removed from an actual habitat? the prey population growth rate initially increases, but then stabilizes at a constant level. the prey population overshoots its carrying capacity and then undershoots it. the prey population increases exponentially and never decreases. the prey population size remains unchanged over time.

Explanation:

• For the first question: In a predator - prey system, when predators are removed (as in this case where they are effectively eliminated), the prey population initially has no predators to control it. But in nature, resources are limited. The prey will grow rapidly (due to lack of predation pressure) until it over - utilizes resources (like food). Once resources are depleted (because the population has grown too large), the population crashes. Exponential growth without decrease (second option) is not realistic in a real - world habitat with limited resources. Stabilizing at a constant level (third option) ignores the resource - overutilization aspect. Fluctuation due to disease and natural disasters (fourth option) is not the main driver here as the key change is predator removal.
• For the second question: The first option about limited resources keeping the population at carrying capacity is incorrect because the population crashes, not stabilizes. The second option about no prevention of exponential growth is wrong as shown by the population crash. Disease and natural disasters (third option) are not the main factors here. The correct explanation is that the growing prey population consumed all available food (fourth option), which is why it crashes.
• For the third question: In an actual habitat, when all predators are removed, the prey population will overshoot its carrying capacity (because of no predation - limited growth) and then undershoot it (due to resource depletion). The first option about stabilizing at a constant level is incorrect as there is a crash. Exponential growth without decrease (third option) is not possible in a resource - limited habitat. The population size will change (so the fourth option is wrong).

Answer:

• First question: The prey population grows rapidly until it peaks before crashing and going extinct.
• Second question: The growing prey population consumed all the available food, causing a population crash.
• Third question: The prey population overshoots its carrying capacity and then undershoots it.