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Predation
WHY IS PREDATION IMPORTANT?
Maryam Sibil | 9G2 | May 2
What is Predation?
Predation is an
interaction in
which one
organism hunts
and kills
(predator)
another (prey)
for food.
The Great Blue Heron in Tampa, Florida
catches fish with beak.
Who are Predators?
 Predators are animals who kill
other animals and eat them.
Who are the Prey?
 The prey are animals who are being
hunted by the predator.
 To avoid being hunted some prey use defense tactics
such as camouflage, protective coverings, warning
coloring, mimicry, false coloring
Why is Predation
Important?
Channelizes Trophic Levels
 Predation helps to channelize through different
trophic levels (the energy fixed
by photosynthetic plants).
But for predation, the ‘grass-deer-tiger’ food chain
would not obviously exist!
Remember, the grass ‘considers’ deer as its predator;
in this sense, to a plant the sparrow that eats its
seeds is also a predator.
Decrease the Intensity of Intraspecific Competition
 Predators can bring down the intensity of
intraspecific competition in a community by
selectively preying on the competitively superior
species and keep their densities low.
This permits the weaker species to persist in the
habitat.
Maintain High Diversity of Species
 Predators also appear to be responsible for
maintaining high diversity of species in many
biological communities.
Experimental removal of all predators from a
community has been known to lead to the
elimination of some species and a general decline in
the diversity of species.
Regulate the Population Densities of Their Prey
 Predators in some cases can regulate the population
densities of their prey.
Predation is obviously not beneficial to the individual
organism that is killed and eaten as food, but to the
prey population as a whole, the predator could be
very beneficial.
Conclusion
 Predation is scientifically proven to help our
ecosystem, help maintain high diversity of species,
regulate the population densities of their prey,
decrease the intensity of intraspecific competition,
and channelize trophic levels.
We must try to improve our ecosystem by avoiding
human activities that can cause large-scale
destruction to habitats.