Question

question 9 of 10
a scientist collected information about a population of salamanders in a riverbank.
salamander population over time

year	number of individuals
1985	40
1995	42
2005	5
2015	7

in 2004, a severe flood occurred. which claim best explains the data?
a. the ecosystem was unstable until the flood occurred.
b. the flood made the ecosystem less stable, but it recovered by 2015.
c. the flood did not affect the stability of the ecosystem.
d. the flood made the ecosystem less stable, and it has not yet recovered.

Explanation:

Before 2004, the salamander population was increasing steadily. After the 2004 flood, the population dropped from 42 in 1995 to 5 in 2005 and only increased slightly to 7 in 2015, indicating the ecosystem has not recovered.

Answer:

D. The flood made the ecosystem less stable, and it has not yet recovered.