Question

Identify two specific populations that most likely increased in number after the mountain lion population decreased. Explain why.

Answer 1

Any change that occurs at any link of a trophic web will affect the other links. The two specific populations that most likely increased in number after the mountain lion population decreased are rabbits and deers.  

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The trophic web is a relationship process between different organisms, through which occurs transference of energy. The ones placed at lower levels pass energy to the ones at the higher levels.

Organisms at each level feed on the preceding one and become food for the next one.

• The first link corresponds to a producer organism -autotroph-.  

• The following links are the consumers -heterotrophs-: herbivores and carnivores.

• The last links are the decomposers that degrade organic matter from dead organisms.  

As it is a web, all organisms are equilibrated until a change occurs.

When the change affects any of the involved links, there can be a cascade effect on the web.

A change in a link population size (increasing or decreasing) will affect the superior links and the immediately anterior link.

Also, when two or more species are competing for the same source of food, a change in any of the population sizes will affect the other ones.

According to the provided trophic web, puma feeds on deer and rabbit.

Since puma was killed, their population size sharply decreased.

This fact followed the predator-prey cycle, in which the predator regulates the prey population size and vice-versa. When there is a decrease in the predator population size, the prey population increases in size because of the absence of their natural predators.

In the absence of puma, deer and rabbits increase their population size. They live in an environment with no predators and enough resources.

The number of individuals of each species increased, and the amount of food consumed increased too.

This change negatively affected grasses and grains, which were over-consumed. Also, crickets and mice were affected too because they compete for the same food source.

So, cascade effects would be as follows,

1) The decreased in the puma population size caused an increase in the deer and rabbit population size.

2) The increase in the deer and rabbit population size caused a decrease in the grains and grasses species population, because they were over consumed.

3) The decrease in grains and grasses caused a decrease in the cricket and mouse population, because they feed on the first ones, competing with deer and  rabbits for food.

The two specific populations that most likely increased in number after the mountain lion population decreased are rabbits and deers.  

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You can learn more about trophic webs at

brainly.com/question/516534?referrer=searchResults

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