An invasive snail is accidentally introduced into a river.It carries a pathogen to which it is adapted; however, the pathogen is a generalist that can infect various other mollusk species in the river and downstream.What is the most likely effect the introduced pathogen will have on the mollusk diversity of the river?
A) It will remain in the invasive snail and will not affect the rest of the ecosystem.
B) It will decrease mollusk biodiversity as it spreads into local species that are not adapted.
C) It will enter other mollusks, but they will likely adapt readily to its presence.
D) It will try to enter other mollusk species but be unable to become established.
E) It will enter other mollusks but can be eradicated by removal of the invasive snail.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The introduced pathogen is a generalist that can infect various other mollusk species in the river and downstream. This means that it is likely to spread to other species and cause a decrease in mollusk biodiversity as it infects species that are not adapted to it.

An Invasive Snail Is Accidentally Introduced into a River