Question

1. read the passage about cheetahs and gazelles. usually found in african plains, the cheetah and the gazelle are related in an ecosystem. the gazelle eats plants and the cheetah eats the gazelle. the fastest cheetahs are able to catch food, allowing them to survive and reproduce. the fastest gazelles are able to escape the cheetahs, allowing them to survive and reproduce. how do the populations of cheetahs and gazelles change over time? a. the populations do not change because both organisms adapt equally. b. the cheetah population grows as faster, stronger cheetahs are born. c. the gazelle population grows as faster, smarter gazelles are born. d. the populations both change as one population grows the other gets smaller. explain your reasoning

Explanation:

Cheetahs and gazelles have a predator - prey relationship. If cheetah population grows, they eat more gazelles, so gazelle population shrinks. Then with fewer gazelles, cheetah population may decrease as food is scarce, and then gazelle population can grow again. Option A is wrong as populations do change. Options B and C only consider one species' growth, ignoring the interaction. Option D correctly describes their population dynamics.

Answer:

D. The populations both change as one population grows the other gets smaller.