Homework Clinic
Science Clinic => Biology => Topic started by: Pea0909berry on Jul 15, 2019
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After reading the paragraph below, answer the questions that follow.
Consider the following marine community: Sea otters prey on sea urchins and therefore help maintain a healthy sea urchin population. Sea urchins prey on kelp. By helping to maintain viable sea urchin populations, the sea otters are also allowing enough kelp to grow and act as a habitat for other organisms.
Suppose that a bacterial infection swept across a sea otter population and killed most sea otters before they could reproduce. How would the marine community be affected?
◦ Kelp would become a primary predator of sea urchins.
◦ For a period of time, there would be an overpopulation of kelp and therefore a decline in sea urchins.
◦ Sea otters would continue to decline until they reached extinction.
◦ For a period of time, there would be overpopulations of sea urchins and therefore a decline in kelp populations.
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For a period of time, there would be overpopulations of sea urchins and therefore a decline in kelp populations.