Question

Plants → Deer → Lion

In the given food chain, what will be the impact of removing all the organisms of second trophic level on the first and third trophic level? Will the impact be the same for the organisms of the third trophic level in the above food chain if they were present in a food web? Justify.

Answer 1

In the given food chain Plants → Deer → Lion, removing all the organisms of the second trophic level (Deer) would impact the first and third trophic levels as follows:

1. Impact on the First Trophic Level (Plants): 
   1. Removing all deer would undoubtedly increase the population of plants.
   2. Plants would thrive with fewer herbivores, as the deer population limits their intake.
2. Impact on the Third Trophic Level (Lion): 
   1. The loss of deer would harm the Lion population.
   2. Lions, as third-level predators, primarily hunt deer.
   3. Lions rely on deer for food, which could lead to population declines.
3. If Present in a Food Web: 
   1. In a food chain, the impact on the third trophic level (Lion) varies based on the complexity of relationships.
   2. Lion populations may not suffer as much if they can access numerous food sources and alternate prey.
   3. Food webs provide more resource availability due to interrelated species.