Fungi.
All of them decompose other dead organisms: "Fungi are important decomposers, especially in forests" ( https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/decomposers/ 19 oct 2023). Decomposing the dead is the literally ultimate form of predation.
"The earliest life forms we know of were microscopic organisms (microbes) that left signals of their presence in rocks about 3.7 billion years old" ( https://naturalhistory.si.edu/education/teaching-resources/life-science/early-life-earth-animal-origins ).
Microbes are sometimes fungi:
"They(microbes) include bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists, some green algae, and viruses" ( https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsmicrobiology ).
Hello Alexander; I think that there are some difficulties with the definitions you are using. As you say, decomposers process dead organic material. However, predators attack live organisms. I am aware of a fungus that entraps nematodes in the soil using a "noose" like strucure and there are fungi that attack living ants. These fungi are usually referred to as parasites.
Without tighter definitions this discussion will go off the rails.
Best regards, Jim Des Lauriers
The ultimate predator in the oceans today would have to be the orcas. They even predate on great white sharks.
Ultimate Predator on Earth
The concept of the "ultimate predator" can be interpreted in various ways, depending on the criteria used to define it. Here are a few candidates based on different perspectives:
Probable First Life Form on Earth
The first life form on Earth likely evolved in the primordial conditions of early Earth, possibly around 3.8 to 4 billion years ago. The exact nature of this first life form is still a topic of scientific investigation, but here are some prevailing hypotheses:
Summary
- Ultimate Predator: Depending on the perspective, the Great White Shark, Orca, or Humans can be considered the ultimate predator on Earth. Each has unique traits that make them top predators in their respective environments.
- First Life Form: The first life form on Earth was likely a simple prokaryotic microorganism, possibly related to modern bacteria and archaea. The RNA world hypothesis and the concept of LUCA provide additional insights into what the earliest life forms might have been like.
As per evolutionary biology the first life form developed from the prebiotic soup i.e coacervate or microsphere that furthur give rise to prokaryotes (3.5 bya) Followed by the evolution of mesokaryotes and eukaryotes.
Talking about the ultimate predator, it may vary according to situations, the ecosystem we are studying. Eg. In terrestial ecosystem it can be a tiger or humans. In aquatic condition it can be a shark or a whale.
On the other hands
Microbes can also be considered as the ultimate predator because at the end they are the organism which are breaking down the complex form to simple form as well as higher in population.
Yes, good point Phil Geis . We still have very little clue as to how life kicked off. A fascinating subject I love talking and thinking about, far more interesting than semantics of predator or parasite terminology.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Filing