What is a common consequence of poaching?

The selection of decreased biodiversity as the correct consequence of poaching highlights a significant ecological issue. Poaching, which refers to the illegal capture, killing, or trade of wildlife, disrupts ecosystems by removing keystone species and reducing the overall population of various flora and fauna. This loss directly affects the balance of ecosystems, as each species plays a specific role in maintaining ecological functions, such as pollination, seed dispersal, and maintaining food webs.

When certain species are removed through poaching, it can lead to overpopulation of other species, loss of habitats, and ultimately a decline in the variety of life forms within an ecosystem. Reduced biodiversity can make ecosystems more vulnerable to diseases, climate change, and other threats, thereby impairing their resilience and ability to recover from disturbances.

In contrast, increased wildlife populations and improved habitat quality would typically be associated with successful conservation efforts, not the adverse impacts of poaching. Enhanced conservation efforts may indeed arise as a response to the challenges posed by poaching, but they do not directly result from it. Hence, decreased biodiversity logically stands out as a direct and common consequence of poaching.