Question

19. To study population growth, an ecologist placed five mice in a small, isolated habitat and tracked the growth of the population over a ten-year period.Which condition most likely had the greatest influence on the mouse population after 1994?No limiting factors were present.The mice were no longer reproducing.A new predator had entered the area.Carrying capacity had been reached.

Answer 1

To answer this question we need to analyze each available option

1.-No limiting factors were present. As the habitat is small and isolated there are limiting factors one example is space, so this is not correct.

2.-The mice were no longer reproducing. If mice stop reproducing the population would decrease in a few as the life span of mice is short, si this is incorrect.

3.-A new predator had entered the area. The ecologist set the mice in a small isolated habitat and does not mention that he had introduced changes during the experiment so this is incorrect.

4.-Carrying capacity had been reached. This concept is hard to set in numbers nonetheless is an equilibrium between habitat availability and the organism that the habitat can support, in other words, the carrying capacity of a certain area determines