The Beneficial Effects that Natural Predators have on the Ecosystem
Natural Predators are vital to the ecosystem. Human beings do not qualify to be categorized as natural predators due to the extent of damage their effects have on the ecosystem. However, you cannot afford to ignore the importance of other natural predators like birds of prey, wolves, big cats and bears to name just a few in maintaining the balance of our natural environment. This article looks to give more details on the reasons why the ecosystem is so dependent on predators and how we can restore the balance once it is interfered with.
It is a method of population control. There are different levels of natural predators in every natural ecology. While a scorpion may be a significant predator in the world of insects and smaller reptiles, bigger reptiles will prey on them with ease and eagerness. Until the top of the cycle is reached, the predator will always become the prey. As seen, the balance of the ecosystem is aided significantly by the predators in different levels. Bigger predators have a more significant role in controlling the population the larger prey animals. The project that was put in place to bring wolves back to Colorado is the best example of this case. Not only did it save other species in the are but also the rivers. This move managed to regulate the elk and sweet population that was spanning out of control and restore some of the depleted vegetation that had been grazed on.
Predators are necessary to save the prey animals they hunt. It is a prime example of how effective the design of nature is even though the need for predators may seem counter-intuitive. When we allow the population of prey animals such as the deer and elks to grow uncontrollably, they risk overgrazing and depleting their food resources. In simple terms, the prey will run out food and starve if the predators are not present. Starvation will kill simultaneously which is uncharacteristic of predators who kill occasionally, and it could cause the death of a whole herd. This outstanding design of nature enables predators to achieve this balance in the ecosystem.
Carrion animals are able to survive thanks to the existence of predators. Scavengers such as foxes, jackals, beetles and vultures to name just a few depend on the larger predators to provide them food for thru own survival. The scavengers will come in to feed on the remains that predators leave behind after they finish a meal they have hunted. They too (the scavengers) play an essential role in the ecosystem which enables them to survive in the wild. The role they play in the ecosystem also achieves some form of balance.