On a Texas grassland, coyotes (the major predator) preyed on burrowing rodents, which in turn fed on grasses and insects.Managers removed coyotes from the grassland, and a year later the grasses declined in biomass.This sequence of events suggests that control of energy flow in this food web was
A) top-down, with coyotes in control.
B) bottom-up, with grasses in control.
C) top-down while coyotes were present and bottom-up when they were gone.
D) bottom-up while coyotes were present and top-down when they were gone.
E) top-down for coyotes and rodents and bottom-up for grasses and insects.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The removal of coyotes led to a decline in grass biomass, indicating that the presence of the top predator (coyotes) was controlling the population of burrowing rodents, which in turn affected the grasses. This demonstrates a top-down control mechanism where the top predator influences the ecosystem structure.

On a Texas Grassland, Coyotes (The Major Predator) Preyed on Burrowing