Question

question 4
its your turn to choose an environmental change—on land or in the ocean—and map out the chain reaction it could cause. scientists use this kind of thinking to predict how ecosystems will respond to change and to help communities protect both people and wildlife.
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question 5
in at least 2 complete sentences, explain why the chain reaction you described is important to the ecosystem as a whole.
your response should:

• clearly describe the original cause that started the chain of events.
• identify one effect you think is most important and explain why it matters for the balance or health of the ecosystem.

enter your response here

Explanation:

For Question 4, one can choose an environmental change like deforestation on - land. Deforestation can lead to soil erosion as there are no tree roots to hold the soil. This can reduce soil fertility and affect plant growth. For Question 5, if we consider deforestation as the cause, the loss of habitat for many species is a crucial effect. This matters for ecosystem balance as it disrupts food - webs and can lead to species endangerment or extinction.

Answer:

Question 4: Example: Deforestation on land can cause soil erosion, which reduces soil fertility, leading to less plant growth and affecting herbivores that rely on those plants.
Question 5: The original cause is deforestation. The most important effect is the loss of habitat for numerous species. This is crucial for ecosystem health because it disrupts the complex web of interactions among species, such as predator - prey relationships and symbiotic associations, and can lead to a decline in biodiversity, making the ecosystem less resilient to other changes.