IIn a forest ecosystem, wolves prey on rabbits. The graph below shows that the relationship between the populations of rabbits and wolves over time follows a predictable pattern.

A graph of population over time. Population is represented on the y axis. Time is represented on the x axis. A blue line is drawn rising and falling up and down over time, representing the population of wolves. A red line, representing the population of rabbits, is drawn rising and falling up and down over time with roughly the same shape as the blue line, but shifted slightly to the left. Which of the following best explains this natural phenomenon?
--ANSWERS--
A. The rabbit population decreases as the rabbits migrate to escape predators, and the wolf population decreases as the wolves follow their prey.

B.The rabbit population increases after a decrease in wolf population because wolves and rabbits compete for some of the same resources.

C.The populations of wolves and rabbits increase at the same rate when environmental conditions are favorable and decrease when conditions are unfavorable.

D.The wolf population increases after an increase in rabbit population, and then decreases when rabbits are less readily available.

As you may already know, wolves feed on rabbits. Based on this, we can say that in a given region, if the population of rabbits grows, it means that wolves will have an ease of feeding. This abundant feeding will allow wolves to have more energy and more births than deaths within the wolf population, causing the population to increase.

However, the constant hunting of wolves for rabbits causes the population of rabbits to decrease over time, until it becomes scarce. As a result, wolves will have a harder time feeding and will start to have more deaths than births, decreasing the wolf population.

This is what is being shown in the graph. In summary, we can say that the population of wolves increases after an increase in the population of rabbits and then decreases when rabbits are less readily available.