The Most Likely Explanation for the Recent Decline in Cichlid

Question

The most likely explanation for the recent decline in cichlid species diversity in Lake Victoria is
A) reinforcement.
B) fusion.
C) stability.
D) geographic isolation.
E) polyploidy.

Accepted Answer

The decline in cichlid species diversity in Lake Victoria is most likely due to fusion, which occurs when different species interbreed and eventually merge into a single hybrid population. This has been facilitated by human activities such as the introduction of non-native species and overfishing, which have disrupted the natural ecological balance of the lake and allowed hybridization to occur more easily.