The dingo is the largest terrestrial predator in Australia. Dingoes live in desert ecosystems, where they both prey on and compete with feral cats for their common food sources, mice and rabbits.
Researchers determined the relative abundance of dingoes, feral cats, and mice and rabbits over time in one area of an Australia
desert. A second area of this desert had been surrounded by a fence to keep dingoes out of it. The researchers conducted similar
population counts in this section of the desert. Their results are shown in the graph below.
Non-Fenced Area
Fenced Area
10.000
1000
E
100
10
2012 2014 2018
2012 2014 2016
Mice and Rabbits ---Feral Cats Dingoes
Data adapted from Fet of al 2019. Ecosystems. Licensed under CC BY 4.0
Based on the data above, which of the following best predicts what will happen if the dingo population in the non-fenced portion of
the desert suddenly decreased?
CA The mice and rabbit populations would initially increase, but over time these changes would lead to a decrease in the
feral cat population that may reverse population growth of the prey species.
ов. The population of feral cats would only increase over time because the cats would experience less competition and
predation from dingoes.
.
C The feral cat population would initially increase, but over time this change would lead to decreases in mice and rabbit
populations that may reverse population growth in feral cats.
The populations of mice and rabbits would only decrease over time because the rodents would experience more
predation from feral cats.
D