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4 Answers

It really depends upon the reasons for the extinction.  It may also depend upon the area. Species being removed from or added to an already existing ecosystem can really cause problems. I recall a particular story of an island which had a high mouse population. In order to reduce the mouse population, domesticated cats were brought to the island. Cats had never been on the island before.  While this did help with the mouse problem, there were also rare birds that lived on the island.  The cats had plenty of resources and had no natural predators so their population grew.  As it grew they not only fed on the mice but also on the rare birds. Soon there were so many cats that it became nearly impossible to remove them from the ecosystem.  Extinction or introduction of one particular species can have a dramatic effect on the ecosystem as a whole.
by Level 3 User (8.5k points)
what animals are endangered
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At this point, even if most of the species of dog that people own went extinct, I doubt the consequences would actually be that sever. Which is mainly because "house dogs" don't really keep a balance in nature these days.

Don't get me wrong; I like dogs. It's just that the "house dogs" aren't really predators or prey these days. Of course, if you're a person who calls animals like wolves and such dogs, then it could bring serious consequences.
by Level 2 User (2.9k points)
How are Cheetahs endangered?
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If this is a new question ask it at http://biologyquestions.org/ask Make sure to give as much information as possible so someone can help.
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