Question

If the coyote population decreases, what would happen to the vulture population?



A.
The vultures will evolve.

B.
The vulture population will decrease slightly.

C.
The vulture population will not change.

D.
The vultures will become extinct as a species.
http://static.k12.com/calms_media/media/1121000_1121500/1121210/1/b018e1e86a7f901c9402601574aa2f13d4d8d5a5/MS2_LIF_05_10_401_PIC_foodweb1_chat.jpg

Answer 1

@hartnn

Answer 2

@ParthKohli

Answer 3

try listing the direct consequences of the declining coyote population first. what happens to prairie dogs, vultures and grasshoppers at first?

Answer 4

@Schleifspur I was thinking C

Answer 5

how did you get there?

Answer 6

get where

Answer 7

to the thought that C is the right answer. please explain why you think that.

Answer 8

because even though the population decreases the volture and feed on the parie dog

Answer 9

but prairie dogs are only half of the food supply...so it should go down, right?

Answer 10

maybe

Answer 11

well, yes or no? =)

Answer 12

I hope you know that we aren't there yet, @bellawalker

Answer 13

I thought it would be c

Answer 14

how about u @alphadxg

Answer 15

well, if the vultures have their foodstock reduced by 50% (no coyotes), then their population will go down as well

then why doesn't it?

Answer 16

Well, Looks like when ever the arrow is point towards that animal, it eat that animal (organism). So if we decline coyotes then the vultures will have about 50% of their food supply going down. and main source would be Praire dogs.

Answer 17

You can rule out the first one obviously because we do not have much information,

now using what I said, you should be able to figure out the rest, let me know if not.

Answer 18

Sorry, I thought the coyotes population is totally gone, so if they are some what gone lets say 30% are left, the vultures will find it harder to find food.

Answer 19

now I tell you another interesting fact: it doesn't matter whether the coyotes go down a little, or down all the way, for the answer will be the same.

Answer 20

@Schleifspur I think that it would?

Answer 21

well let's say C is right, as proposed by the asker. then it's right because of a specific reason. and that reason is the same why it doesn't matter for the vultures

Answer 22

(btw: I think we are having fun on our own now, @alphadxg

Answer 23

lol

Answer 24

according to this food web
one food chain is
prairie grass is eaten by grasshopper
grasshopper is eaten by coyote
coyote is eaten by vulture
second food chain is
prairie grass is eaten by prairie dog
prairie dog is eaten by both coyote and vulture


if coyote population goes down
what does coyote eat? it eats grasshopper and prairie dog right?
so if the population of coyote was to go down it means the population of grasshopper and prairie dog would go up right? since now less number of them are eaten because there are less coyotes
so now vulture
what does it eat?
it eats coyote AND prairie dog right?
as we said earlier if coyote number was to decrees, prairie dog number would increase right?
so thats why Vulture will still have enough food supply even if population of coyote was to decrease since increase in population of prairie dog will just compensate for the decrease of coyotes
thats why it is C