BIOL 302 Chapter 14: BIOL 302 Week 9 Chapter 14 Notes
Document Summary
Herbivores and predators can limit the abundance of populations. Fluctuations occur in a regular cycle for populations. Predation and herbivory favours evolution of defense. Predators and herbivores can limit the abundance of populations: This field of study helps us manage crop pests, game populations, and endangered species. Study looked at islands: 93 caribbean islands. Smaller islands only contained spiders: larger contained both spiders and lizards. Islands with only spiders became x10 more abundant. Island with both spiders and lizards showed a decline in spider population: eventually was rare or went extinct. Implies that predatory lizards reduce densities of spiders. Introduction of predators may be accidental: an example could be an invasive predatory species. Mesopredators: relatively small carnivores that consume herbivores. Top predators: predators that typically consume both herbivores and mesopredators: have interfered with human activities throughout time, farming, ranching, hunting, and fishing. 2009 had a reduction in a top predator in na.
