Question

Ritu saw a picture of the silver carp in her book. She was curious to know more about this fish and started searching the internet where she found that in the 1900s, the silver carp which is actually native to Asia, escaped from the fish farms to Missouri lake in the US. This
I. led to decrease in the population of paddlefish found in the Missouri lake
II. adversely affected the overall balance of the lake ecosystem
III. led to the reduction in the number of predators feeding on paddlefish

Select the correct statements.

• A. I & II
• B. II & III
• C. I & III
• D. I, II & III

Answer 1

The correct option is D I, II & III

Silver carp or Asian carp has largely proven to be a major threat to its other fellow fishes in the habitat. In the 1900s, the silver carp, native to Asia, escaped to the Missouri lake in the US from the fish farms where it was used for aquaculture operations.

Missouri lake housed the native paddlefish, which fed on the plankton floating in the lake. The plankton are the chief source of nutrition for the paddlefish inhabiting there. The silver carp started to excessively feed on the available plankton in the Missouri lake. Thereby leaving no or very less food available for the native species (paddlefish).

With the increase in the number of silver carp, the plankton population decreased and food availability for paddlefish reduced. Thus, it led to the reduction in the population of native paddlefish and thereby reduction in the number of predators feeding on it.

Therefore, invasion of the silver carp in the Missouri lake reduced the population of the native paddlefish, which in turn adversely affected the population of its predators and thus the overall balance of the native ecosystem was disturbed.

This explains how change in the population of one species in an ecosystem affects the entire native ecosystem. Population size explains a lot about the status of its habitat.

Therefore, all the statements are correct.