A 7th grade teacher asked students to engage in an argument regarding human impact on a national forest ecosystem that was home
to mountain lions, coyotes,
and bobcats as well as about 3,000 deer. The deer ate grass, and the mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats ate deer. Hunters began killing
large numbers of
mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats. About 20 years later the deer population had increased to about 100,000. The teacher asked the students to explain why
the population of deer increased. Which student's argument most accurately explains the increase in the deer population?
O A. Student 1: The number of deer increased because deer populations are always increasing, even when there are lions, coyotes, and bobcats preying on
them.
O B. Student 2: The number of deer increased because without lions, coyotes, and bobcats, the deer lived longer and had more offspring that also lived
longer.
c. Student 3: The number of deer increased because with fewer mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats, the deer had more food available to eat
D. Student 4: The deer population increased because with fewer lions, coyotes, and bobcats, there was less competition within the deer population.
