Reindeer were introduced to Alaska's remote island of St.Matthew in 1944.They were meant to provide emergency food for 19 Coast Guard members, who abandoned the island when World War II ended in 1945.The reindeer remained on the island, which had an abundance of lichen, their favorite food.They had no predators.Their population started at 29, rose to 6,000, and then crashed to 42 in 1966.Which condition does not help explain the drastic change in the reindeer population?
A) The population initially rose dramatically in a habitat without predators.
B) As the population increased, humans overhunted the reindeer population.
C) Extreme weather, combined with limited food supplies, caused massive mortality.
D) The reindeer overgrazed the lichen, changing the vegetation on the island.
E) Rising population density increased intraspecific competition in the limited habitat.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The drastic change in the reindeer population can be explained by factors such as lack of predators, overgrazing, extreme weather, and increased competition, but not by overhunting by humans, as the Coast Guard members had left the island.

Reindeer Were Introduced to Alaska's Remote Island of St