Question

A temperate deciduous forest is dominated by oak trees, which produce acorns. Populations of deer, black deer, and squirrels all rely on the acorns as a primary source of food. A large portion of the forest is cut down, causing it to loose most of its oak trees. What is most likely to happen?
A)Black bears would benefit from the space made available by the loss of trees, so their population would increase
B)Black bears, deer, and squirrels would undergo a mass extinction, so the forest’s biodiversity would decrease
C)Squirrels would instantly adapt to the lack of acorns, so their population would remain stable
D)Deer would become less likely to survive and reproduce, so their population would decline

Answer 1

Answer: B) Black bears, deer, and squirrels would undergo a mass extinction, so the forest’s biodiversity would decrease.

Limiting factor is a factor which limit the growth, distribution and abundance of  population of one or more species in an ecosystem. A limiting factor can be natural or man-made. Natural limiting factor includes resources (food, shelter and water), abundance in predator population, natural disasters like landslide and earthquakes. Man-made limiting factors include deforestation, forest fires and nuclear explosions.

Here, oak trees can be considered as limiting factor. Oak trees are source of food resource in temperate deciduous forest. Cutting down of these trees will affect the populations of animals residing in the forest. As, populations of beer, black deer, and squirrels all rely on the acorns obtain from oak trees, cutting down of trees will result in mass extinction of black bears, deer, and squirrels. Hence, the diversity of animals in forest would decrease.  

Answer 2

Plato Answer: Deer would become less likely to survive and reproduce, so their population would decline.

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