SSAT Middle Level Reading Quiz
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INFERENCE
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PASSAGE
The relationship between predators and prey has shaped evolutionary adaptations for millions of years, but recent human activities have begun disrupting these ancient patterns in unexpected ways. In Yellowstone National Park, the reintroduction of wolves in 1995 dramatically altered the behavior of elk herds, which had grown accustomed to grazing freely in valley bottoms during the decades when wolves were absent. The elk began avoiding these areas, allowing vegetation to recover and streams to change course as root systems stabilized riverbanks. However, climate change is now creating a new complication: rising temperatures are forcing elk to seek cooler, higher elevations during summer months, regardless of wolf presence. This climate-driven migration is bringing elk into contact with mountain goats and bighorn sheep in alpine zones where these species rarely interacted historically. Scientists are concerned that these new interactions, combined with the existing predator-prey dynamics, could create unpredictable cascading effects throughout the ecosystem that neither evolution nor traditional wildlife management strategies have prepared these species to handle.
Based on the passage, what can be concluded about the current challenges facing Yellowstone's ecosystem management?
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