How Does Hunting Predators Affect an Ecosystem?
Ecosystems are maintained in perfect balances in nature due to complex relationships between the producers (plants, photosynthetic bacteria and algae), herbivores (which feed only on plants), predators (which feed on herbivores) and the decomposers (which feed on the dead animals and plants). When this balance is altered, it can destabilize the entire ecosystem and trigger alterations in it.
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The Hunters and the Hunted
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Predators and preys are separate groups of animals and they do not overlap. One predator does not hunt or hurt the other unless they have disputes over food, territories or mating partners. They never actively hunt each other for food. However, among human beings, hunting predators is commonly observed for game, security, and sometimes even for food.
Prey-Predator Relationship
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For every 500 prey animals, there is one predator on an average. Hunting of the predators allows the prey animals to multiply in excess. Predator hunting causes tremendous decrease in the number of specific species of predators such as tigers or cheetahs. However, the population of the remaining predator species (which are not considered suitable for game or food) tends to increase because they no longer need to share the available resources. Hence, they thrive because of increased prey population and reduced inter-species competition. Though this situation may sound favorable, it clearly indicates a disturbed ecosystem.
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Pattern of Predator Hunting
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Predators usually hunt the least agile and sick preys, which make an easy catch. By selecting the weaker members of the prey species, the predators are actually doing an indirect favor to the ecosystem. They are allowing the survival of the fittest and eliminating all the sick and disabled animals, which may propagate diseases. The healthier animals will survive and propagate their strong genes to their progeny. Eventually, a genetic pool of strong genes is created through breeding and interbreeding.
The Study at Yellowstone National Park
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This theory was proved in Yellowstone National Park, where once all the predators were artificially removed and observed. The deer population tripled and then decreased to nothing when the disease rate raised and wiped out almost the entire population of deer. The deer population rose again when the scientists reintroduced wolves back into Yellowstone National Park. The elk and deer population were steady and the size of the animals and their antlers increased within a few years. The scientists concluded that the introduction of predator species (wolves) was responsible for the healthy genetic constitution of the deer and elk population in that ecosystem.
Ill-Effects of Hunting Predators
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Wiping out predators from an ecosystem has several ill effects. The most prominent of those ill effects is ecosystem imbalance. There exists a delicate balance of species occupying different levels of a food pyramid. When we disturb the balance, a cascading effect is felt on the other levels of the food chain. For instance, consider the example of predators like lions, cheetah, wolves and tigers and their preys, like deers and black bucks. When we hunt the predators, then we are indirectly allowing the deer and black buck population to multiply uncontrollably. Rampant increase in deer and black buck population exerts pressure on the available food (grass) and land (territory) resource. Consecutively, other grazing animals in the same level of the food pyramid (herbivores like zebra, bison, gazelle, etc) start suffering because of the reducing food availability.
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References
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- Photo Credit hunting lion image by TEMISTOCLE LUCARELLI from Fotolia.com
