Question

Describe trophic levels, the nature of trophic levels in different ecosystems, and the effect of predator removal on the structure of food webs.. Include in your answer: a. a description of nutrient flow through terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems b. the differences between endothermic and ectothermic ecosystems with respect to nutrient flow and predator-to-prey ratios c. the effect of reducing intermediate and top predators on ecosystems’ biodiversity

Answer 1

Trophic levels are the pattern of food dependancy of differrent organisms according to the differrent energy levels as per the food web. It determines the place belonging to particular organisms in a food web as per the role they play and energy they constitutes and passes to other organisms. The nature of the trophic levels is different in various ecosystem because trophic levels are being occupied by completely different organisms in various ecosystems. So if on second trophic level , there is a zooplankton in aquatic ecosystem, it could be a herbivore in terrestrial ecosystem. The effect of predator removal on the structure of the food web is very significant because predator acts as a keystone species which maintains balance in the food web. If they are removed, the controlling species at apex are removed, which will cause imbalance in the food web.

a- Nutrients are being transferred from one ecosystem to another with the help of interlinking in between the webs. The major flow of nutrients is through carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles. Terrestrial, aquatic and grasslands , all these systems are linked together at some trophic levels either by microorganisms or by apex predators. Now nutrients which are present in soil in terrestrial ecosystems are being transferred to water / sea, through rain or any natural or man-made process. So the important nutrients are being shifted to the other ecosystem via cycling , hence helping to enrich the growth.

b- In endothermic ecosystems, the energy in terms of nutrient flow is highly functional as they try to maintain homeostasis, hence better efficiency in terms of nutrient flow further, on the other hand this nutrient flow is lesser in exothermic ecosystems. Predatory to prey ratio is lesser in endothermic ecosystems, because to maintain a body, metabolism like predators, it requires a lot of energy hence lesser the number while in exothermic ecosystems, it is vice a versa.

c- As we already know , how predators absence or removal imbalances the flow of energy or degrades the food web .Predators keep in check the competition levels, consumer pressure in a biodiversity . All these things will be primarily effected if we remove the predators.

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