Skip to main content

What would happen to the mice if all of the foxes left this ecosystem?

In an ecosystem, there are food chains and a food web, which is composed of interconnected food chains. Each organism, in an ecosystem, is part of a food chain and the food web. If any change takes place at any trophic level in a food chain, the results are significant, while those in a food web are relatively mild. 


For example, mice are common prey for foxes. If all the foxes are removed from the...

In an ecosystem, there are food chains and a food web, which is composed of interconnected food chains. Each organism, in an ecosystem, is part of a food chain and the food web. If any change takes place at any trophic level in a food chain, the results are significant, while those in a food web are relatively mild. 


For example, mice are common prey for foxes. If all the foxes are removed from the ecosystem, mice will have less predators. Remember that foxes are not the only predators of mice and in a food web, all the prey and predator are connected to each other. Thus, the removal of foxes will reduce the total predator count, not reduce it to 0. A reduction in the predator population will cause an increase in the mice population. More mice will mean more food for other predators of mice (say snakes) and thus the snake population will also rise. An increase in the mice population will also cause a reduction in the food of mice, since more mice will eat more food. Thus, for a brief duration, the food of mice will be under stress, while the population of mice and other predators of mice will increase. However, a new equilibrium will soon be established between mice and their other predators and the ecosystem will continue to function without major modifications.


Hope this helps. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Discuss movements that were inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and list one success for each group.

African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change... African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change for their agendas. Two examples of moveme...
Post a Comment
Read more

What are some tensions between men and women in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar?

Julius Caesar is a largely male-driven play. Calpurnia and Portia are the two main female characters, and they are both wives of major characters. Calpurnia is Julius Caesar’s wife. She makes public appearances with him, but there may be some awkwardness between them because of her inability to have children. He publicly tells Antony to touch Calpurnia to cure her of barrenness when he runs the Lupercal, a “holy race” and fertility festival. Calpurnia has... Julius Caesar is a largely male-driven play. Calpurnia and Portia are the two main female characters, and they are both wives of major characters. Calpurnia is Julius Caesar’s wife. She makes public appearances with him, but there may be some awkwardness between them because of her inability to have children. He publicly tells Antony to touch Calpurnia to cure her of barrenness when he runs the Lupercal, a “holy race” and fertility festival. Calpurnia has nightmares about Caesar’s death. She claims that she is not naturally super...
Post a Comment
Read more