In a food web... What will happen if the primary consumer was removed? ?

Question

It will soon die out because the 2nd and 3rd consumer wont have anything else to prey on..am i correct?Does it matter if the secondary consumer was removed? Which group of organisms is responsible for the initial absorption of energy?

Answer 1

The primary producer (which is consumed by the primary consumer) will do well, but the ecology will be negatively affected because the secondary consumers will starve unless an alternate food source is found. Example, death of owls when mice population decreases due to late spring and lack of food; next year will bring more food overall, thus more mice, but fewer owls to control.

When a secondary consumer is removed, the primary consumer overpopulates, consumes all available food resources, and starves until population balance is restored to the point that the food resources (primary producers) can once again support the primary consumers. Examples, deer populations where no wolves, etc to control. Deer overpopulate, eat everything, then starve once the food resources are depleted; population decreases until food resources rebound. If no predators, cycle repeats--not good for forest, deer or ecology in general.

Primary producers are responsible for initial absorpotion of energy: plants, algae.