Question

Which of the following is correct in a predator-prey cycle?
a) A decline in the number of predators causes a decline in the number of prey
b) A decline in the number of prey causes a decline in the number of predators.
c)An increase in the number of predators triggers an increase in the numbers of prey
d)All of the above are correct, causing an up and down cycle for each animal.

Answer 1

Hint The predators are the animals that feed on the live animals by hunting and eating them. The animals eaten by the predators are known as their prey. In order to maintain the balance in the ecosystem, the number of prey and predators should be optimal.

Complete answer: The prey and predators are interdependent on each other in terms of their population. The predators feed on the prey species. If the number of the prey declines in a prey-predator cycle then the predators will also decline. This is so because the predators would not have enough prey to feed on and hence, they will die due to hunger. So, it’s necessary to maintain a balance between the prey and the predator.

Additional information:
-A decline in the number of predators will cause a sudden increase in the number of prey. The increased number of prey would be harmful to nature as they would feed on the grass and plants, depleting their source of food for themselves. So, decline in the number of predators would increase the number of prey.
-An increase in the number of predators never triggers an increase in the number of the prey. If the predators would feed without any control then they would reach a level where the number of prey would be less.

So, the answer is ‘a decline in the number of prey causes a decline in the number of predators.

Note: The number of prey and predators in the ecological cycle should be balanced in order to maintain their healthy numbers. An increase in any of the population may affect the other population and a decrease in any population may have adverse effects on the other population.