Which part of the food chain is affected by one animal becoming extinct?

All parts of the food chain can be affected when one animal becomes extinct.

When a predator species becomes extinct, the prey species that it hunted will experience a population increase, which can upset the balance of the ecosystem. For example, if wolves were to become extinct, the deer population would likely increase significantly, leading to overgrazing of vegetation and potential habitat destruction. This would in turn affect the species that rely on those plants for food and shelter.

Conversely, when a prey species becomes extinct, the predator species that relied on it for sustenance will suffer. For instance, if rabbits were to become extinct, fox and lynx populations would decline as they would no longer have a primary source of food.

In addition, the loss of a single species can have ripple effects throughout the food chain. For instance, if a pollinator species such as bees were to become extinct, the plants that rely on them for reproduction would suffer, leading to a decline in the plant population and potentially affecting other animals and insects that rely on those plants for food or shelter.

Overall, the extinction of one animal species can have significant and cascading impacts on the entire food chain, disrupting the balance of the ecosystem and potentially leading to the decline of other species.