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Unit 8 Exercise QuestionUse the following information to answer question Q1-3.In the American Southwest, annually emerging cicadas are dependent upon the cottonwood trees in the floodplain.Adult male cicadas perch in the cottonwood trees and chirp to attract females. Females lay their eggs in the branchesof the cottonwoods, and, upon hatching, the cicada nymphs drop to the ground, burrow into the soil, feed on the treeroots, and later emerge as adults. Other organisms in the floodplain community prey on the cicadas, as shown in thefood web.Human activity has caused a decrease in the amount of flooding and an increase in the incidence of wildfires in thefloodplain. In an investigation into the recent changes in the floodplain ecosystem, researchers monitored the soiltemperature, amount of cottonwood ground coverage (i.e., area of the ground that is shaded by leaves), and cicadaemergence for a period from mid-June until late July. The results of the investigation are represented in Figure 2 andFigure 3.To assess the impact of wildfires on soil temperature and cicada emergence, the researchers compared meanemergence dates for two natural sites where portions had been affected by wildfire. In addition, cicada emergence wasmonitored at an experimental site where the soil temperature was experimentally maintained. The data are shown inthe table.
1.Which of the following statements best predicts the effect of increased cottonwood growth on the food web?
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2.Yellow-billed cuckoos typically hatch in midJuly. Emerging cicadas are a primary food source for nestingcuckoos. Which of the following best predicts the effect of wildfires on yellow-billed cuckoo populations?
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