Apex predator

Definition

An apex predator is a top-level predator in an ecosystem that has no natural predators itself. It typically resides at the highest trophic level and plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance.

Related terms

Keystone species:

A species that has a disproportionately large impact on its environment relative to its abundance.

Trophic cascade: The indirect effects of changes in the population of one species on other trophic levels within an ecosystem.

Biodiversity:

The variety and variability of living organisms present in a particular habitat or on Earth as a whole.