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Carrying Capacity. The maximum stable population size of a species that an ecosystem can support is known as the carrying capacity. Every individual within a species population has the potential to reproduce and have offspring which contribute to population growth. In reality, however, there are many abiotic and biotic factors that prevent ...
- Definition
- Examples of Predation
- Trophic Levels
Predation refers to a flow of energy between two organisms, predator and prey. In this interaction, the prey loses energy, and the predator gains energy. The word ‘predation’ derives from the Latin word praedari, meaning ‘to plunder’.Predation includes carnivory, as well as interactions like grazing, parasitism, and symbiotic mutualism. The process...
Carnivorous Predation
Wolves are large canines that primarily hunt large herbivores such as deer, elk, and sheep. They are particularly well-adapted hunters, with strong jaws, heightened senses, and powerful bodies, they can identify and chase prey at high speeds. Carnivorous predation can also be an interaction between two groups of organisms. While many carnivores hunt prey that are much smaller than themselves, some cooperate with other individuals of their species to bring down larger prey. For example, lions...
Herbivorous Predation
Grazing is a form of herbivory where the plant regenerates the parts that were eaten by the herbivore. Herbivores are adapted to their mode of feeding. For example, elephants have large flat teeth to grind tough plant material. They also contain microorganisms in their gut to digest plant-based carbohydrates. Plants have been known to develop defenses against grazing. When giraffes feed on acacia trees, the trees release a toxic substance into their leaves that forces the giraffes to move awa...
Parasitic Predation
The parasite that causes malaria, Plasmodium, infects a wide variety of animal hosts, including reptiles, birds, and mammals. The infection and causes cyclical rounds of high fever and chills, and can even kill the host. Tapeworms are common human parasites that can cause malnutrition, especially in young children. Filarial worms are parasites that cause skin, eye,and lymphatic diseases. Parasitism is also seen in the plant kingdom. Strangler figs are common tropical plants that behave like p...
Trophic levels refer to the hierarchical stages in a food chain, starting from autotrophs and moving towards primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers. An organism that is a predator at one trophic level can become the prey at a higher trophic level. For example, krill are predators of phytoplankton but are also the prey of higher predators, pengu...
Predator-prey cycles The numbers of predators and prey for certain ecosystems such as the Canadian Lynx (wild cat) and hare have been recorded over many years and found to change in a regular cycle.
Foraging. To feed, a predator must search for, pursue and kill its prey. These actions form a foraging cycle (Figure 16.1.4 16.1. 4). The predator must decide where to look for prey based on its geographical distribution; and once it has located prey, it must assess whether to pursue it or wait for a better choice.
Predator and prey populations. A. predator. is an animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals for food. Prey. is a term used to describe organisms that predators kill for food. Predator/prey ...
Jun 26, 2019 · Definition of Predation. Symbiotic relationships describe long-term and close relationships between organisms of different species. Predation is a specific type of symbiotic relationship because the predator and prey relationship is a long-term and close one within an ecosystem. Specifically, predation is defined as one part of a symbiotic ...
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May 25, 2024 · Predator is the organism that preys on other organisms, also known as prey. Predation occurs when a predator creature consumes one or more prey organisms. The predator always reduces the fitness of the prey. This is accomplished by preventing prey from surviving, reproducing, or both.
