How do carnivores play an important role in the environment and what would happen if there were more carnivores than herbivores in an ecosystem?
The functions of ecosystem possess a number of structured interrelationships between soil, water, nutrients, producers, consumers and decomposers (Whittaker, 1975; Smith, 1974, 1996). Carnivores which are categorized under consumers embrace the apex predators and meso-predators. Carnivores contribute to almost every facet of an ecosystem and management of trophic dynamics, from maintaining a balance in prey populations, and ensuring that plants and vegetation aren’t grazed into extinction, to reducing animal disease breakouts in wild animals. In general, carnivores significantly contribute to creation of diverse and balanced food chain, which is key to a healthy ecosystem. However, some researchers (e.g. Haswell et al., 2017), argue that caution must be expressed in seeing apex predators as ecological redeemers since ecosystem services may not universally apply. According to this study, four main settings (species assemblage, environmental productivity, landscape, and predation risk) influence the effects of large carnivores on the ecosystem.
Considering the logic explained above, total population crush and increased human-large carnivores’ conflict may prevail, if there are more carnivores (beyond the carrying capacity) than herbivores.
- Badges
- Science method
- Similar topics
- Biological Science
- Ecology