What deterred many slaves from attempting to escape?
their family members were often on the same plantation.
their masters were required to reward them for good behavior.
they were continually monitored by guards on the plantation.

Answer,

Their family members were often on the same plantation.

Explanation,

Enslaved people worked on a plantation with their family members, so they usually weren't too keen on running away. Instead they found other ways to deal with being enslaved, such as negotiating incentives with the plantation owners or finding a way out of forced labor.

HTH :-)

food chain i would say only because there is competition on getting food and survival