Recently, severe weather damaged forests in northern New Mexico. Trees in these forests are nesting sites for Mexican spotted owls. Damage to the forests caused populations of Mexican spotted owls to decline in the state. Which of these describes the most likely result of a decrease in the number of Mexican spotted owls in New Mexico forests?
Responses

Populations of predators decreased, because there was less competition from Mexican spotted owls.

Deciduous trees grew at faster rates, because fewer Mexican spotted owls were nesting in their branches.


Populations of primary consumers increased, because there was less predation by Mexican spotted owls.


Certain herbaceous plants reproduced at a slower rate, because fewer Mexican spotted owls flew above them.