Question

What happens to an ecosystem when the primary consumers disappear?

A. Both the producer and secondary consumer populations increase.
B. Both the producer and secondary consumer populations decrease.
C. The producer population decreases, while the secondary consumer population increases.
D. The producer population increases, while the secondary consumer population decreases.

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

C. The producer population decreases, while the secondary consumer population increases.

Primary consumers are essential in regulating the population of producers (plants) in an ecosystem. Without primary consumers, the population of producers can grow unchecked, leading to overconsumption of resources and potentially outcompeting other species in the ecosystem. As a result, the population of secondary consumers (predators that feed on primary consumers) may increase as they take advantage of the abundant plant resources.