Overhunting of deer followed by a very difficult winter caused the deer population on an island to drop by 80%. In the next two years, visitors to the island were surprised to see many young trees sprouting up at the edges of the forest. This change in the number of saplings as a result of the decline of the deer population represents:

a trophic cascade

Explanation:

A trophic cascade -

It refers to the process where the addition or removal of any of the predators disturbs the food chain , is referred to as a trophic cascade .

As the reduction in one of the animal of the food cycle would lead to the increases in the number of his food , which would be the plant or the animal .

Hence , from the given scenario of the question ,

The correct answer is a trophic cascade .