Q25 - A Seabird-Mediated Nutrient Cascade on an Atoll
The fragility of an ecological food chain is examined on an atoll, where native forest was replaced by coconut palms (Fig.). This created a problem for seabirds which could not nest in palms.
Changes in the ecological chain, when native forest (N) is replaced by palms (P). Each bar graph compares processes in N and P (from McCauley et al. 2012).
Figure 1.
Using the information and data, determine which of the statements are true or which are false.
A. Bird presence benefits manta rays
B. Palm growing might harm corals in the atoll
C. If forest was cleared and land instead used for intensive modern farming with fertilizers, manta rays might disappear from the coast
D. The food chain includes only top-down effects, and no bottom-up effects
Question reproduced from IBO 2015, Theoretical Exam B, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 - attributed to the International Biology Olympiad. Open the full exam PDF · Community solutions (unofficial)