Which Statement Best Describes the Chain of Events That Indirectly

question 21

Multiple Choice

Which statement best describes the chain of events that indirectly led to the near extinction of Urocyon littoralis (island fox) in Roemer et al.'s 2002 study?

• A) Feral pigs were introduced, golden eagles began feeding on the pigs, golden eagles then began attacking foxes, foxes nearly became extinct, and skunk populations increased.
• B) Feral pigs were introduced, feral pigs began attacking foxes, golden eagles began feeding on pigs, skunk populations increased, and foxes nearly became extinct.
• C) Golden eagles were introduced to control the feral pig population, golden eagles began feeding on pigs, golden eagles then began attacking foxes, foxes nearly became extinct, and skunk populations increased.
• D) Feral pigs began competing with foxes for food, golden eagles began feeding on feral pigs, skunk population increases as feral pigs decrease, and fox population declines as their primary food source (feral pigs) declines.

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Definitions:

Toxic Blooms

Rapid growth of algae that produce harmful toxins, affecting water quality and marine life, and can pose risks to humans.

Herpesvirus

A large family of viruses that cause diseases in animals, including humans, characterized by latent and recurrent infections.

Epstein-Barr Virus

A herpesvirus that can cause infectious mononucleosis (mono) and is associated with various types of cancers and autoimmune diseases.

Viroid

Infectious strand of RNA devoid of a capsid and much smaller than a virus.