Predation has a significant role in maintaining of species diversity - Discuss.
Answers
New researches have shown that predator-prey interactions increase biodiversity. Predators keep prey populations in check in order to ensure the size of specie population occupying a variety of environmental niches. For example, jays preferably eat the abundant specie of moth, the jay’s preferential feeding may be a ecological trigger to increase moth diversity. Predation greatly enhance the co-existence of prey populations shaping natural biological communities.
HLO MATE HERE IS UR ANSWER.
⭐. Predators maintain species diversity in a community. It is done by reducing the intensity of competition among competing prey species.
Ex: In the American pacific coast there are intertidal communities.
⭐. The starfish pisaster is an important predator.In a field experiment the star fish is removed from the intertidal area. After a specific time (one year) it was found that more then 10 species of prey became extinct.
⭐. In the absence of predator there was severe inter specific competition and more tham 10 species could not survive the competition and became extinct.
⭐. If the predator was presenf it would have predate on all types of prey equally, reducing their number. Then all the prey species would have survived.