Question

predicting changes in population
during the summer, when the land is brown and the grass is green, the population of mice decreases because mice are easily spotted by the organisms that eat them.
how would this change affect the food web? check all that apply.
□ it will increase the grass population.
□ it will increase the fox population.
□ it will decrease the shrew population.
□ it will decrease the snake population.
□ it will increase the grasshopper population.
image of a food web including grass, grasshopper, shrew, mouse, rabbit, snake, fox

Explanation:

1. Grass population: Mice eat grass, so fewer mice mean less grass is consumed, increasing grass population.
2. Fox population: Foxes prey on mice; fewer mice mean less food for foxes, so fox population will not increase (it may decrease or stay stable).
3. Shrew population: Shrews eat grasshoppers, and grass (grasshopper food) increases with fewer mice. More grass means more grasshoppers, providing more food for shrews, so shrew population will not decrease (it may increase).
4. Snake population: Snakes prey on mice; fewer mice mean less food for snakes, so snake population decreases.
5. Grasshopper population: Grass (grasshopper food) increases when mice (grass eaters) decrease, so more grass supports a larger grasshopper population.

Answer:

• It will increase the grass population.
• It will decrease the snake population.
• It will increase the grasshopper population.