At some water bird breeding colonies, the large quantities of excrement from the birds may result in the death of vegetation underneath the trees in which their nests are built.Which characteristic of the bird population would have the greatest effect on the amount of damage caused to the understory plants?
A) Diet
B) Population size
C) Type of nest built
D) Type of mating ritual
E) Competition with other bird species

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Population size would have the greatest effect on the amount of damage caused to the understory plants because the more birds there are, the more excrement will be produced, and the higher the likelihood that the vegetation will be damaged as a result. Factors such as diet, type of nest, and type of mating ritual may have some influence, but they are unlikely to have as significant an impact as population size. Competition with other bird species could also play a role, but the question does not provide enough information to determine whether this is a factor in this particular scenario.

At Some Water Bird Breeding Colonies, the Large Quantities of Excrement