Chapter 4, Problem 39A

Summary Introduction

To analyze:

The probable results in a community if all of the top predators were removed by hunting

Introduction:

Biological Community: It is a group of interacting populations that live in the same area at the same time.

Community interaction: Organisms that live together in a biological community constantly interact. Predation is one of the interactions between organisms where one organism (predator) pursues another organism (prey) to consume it for food.

Explanation of Solution

In any Ecosystem, there are different populations in a community with different food habits, and all organisms are interdependent for their survival. Hence, the population size of one species depends on the population size of all other species and abiotic factors.

Green plants are producers, and all other organisms in any ecosystem are consumers, that is, they are dependent on other organisms for their food.

Predators, at the top level are the organisms that feed on the organisms of a lower level in any food chain.

When all the predators are killed by hunting, there will be an unchecked growth of the prey population. If the exponentially growing prey population is of herbivores (grass-eating animals), then in a short time they will deplete their food source that is grass and green plants.

Because of the high consumption by the large size of the prey population, green plants will start to deplete. These herbivores compete for food with each other and result in the death of many.

Conclusion

The change in the predator population affects the entire ecosystem and this triggers the event of Trophic cascade. Sometimes this trophic cascade permanently changes the diversity of any ecosystem.