Key Idea.
Section 1
The Price of Predation
The size of a consumer population determines its caloric needs. A larger consumer population requires more energy, which means they must eat more organisms from the resource population.
This increased consumption leads to an increase in deaths among the resource population.
Section 2
The Top-Down Effect
Changes in a resource population are often caused by its predators. If the consumer population grows, the pressure on the resource increases.
Consequently, a larger consumer population typically leads to a decrease in the resource population. This inverse relationship balances the ecosystem.
Expand to review the lesson summary and core properties.
Section 1
The Price of Predation
The size of a consumer population determines its caloric needs. A larger consumer population requires more energy, which means they must eat more organisms from the resource population.
This increased consumption leads to an increase in deaths among the resource population.
Section 2
The Top-Down Effect
Changes in a resource population are often caused by its predators. If the consumer population grows, the pressure on the resource increases.
Consequently, a larger consumer population typically leads to a decrease in the resource population. This inverse relationship balances the ecosystem.