Question

Poison dart frogs live in the rainforest. They produce a poison by eating toxic fire ants. The only known predator is a snake, Liophis epinephelus. Which of the following factors is most likely a density-independent regulator of population growth of poison dart frogs in the rainforest?
A.clear cutting the rainforest
B.limited food source
C.susceptibility to disease
D.increase in population of Liophis epinephelus

Answer 1

Answer:

A. clear cutting the rainforest

Explanation:

In ecology, density independent factors are defined as the factors that influences birth or death rates of a population, regardless of the population density.

Density independent factors generally include physical factors of environment and are unrelated to the size of the population.

Density-independent regulator of population growth of poison dart frogs in the rainforest will be affected by clear cutting the rainforest because if the animal will loss its habitat and the required condition to live which is rainforest, it will unable to survive which will lead to increase in death rates of poison dart frogs.

Hence, clear cutting of raiforest leads to loss of habitat as well as its food resources, the correct answer is A.