The correct answer to the question is:
B. Their populations will decrease, and the carrying capacity will increase.
Here's an explanation to support this answer:
1. When 75 percent of a forest area is cleared for urban development, it results in habitat loss for the organisms living in that area. This loss of habitat can lead to a decrease in the populations of organisms that depend on the forest for food, shelter, and resources.
2. With the decrease in population due to habitat loss, the carrying capacity of the remaining forest area may increase. Carrying capacity refers to the maximum number of organisms that an ecosystem can support sustainably. When a portion of the forest is cleared, there may be more resources available in the remaining area, leading to an increase in carrying capacity for the organisms that survive in the reduced habitat.
3. Therefore, the most likely scenario is that the populations of organisms in the remaining forest area will decrease due to habitat loss, while the carrying capacity of the ecosystem may increase as a result of the resources becoming relatively more available to the reduced population.
This explanation highlights the impact of habitat loss on populations and carrying capacity in the context of forest clearing for urban development.
