Natural Predators
Definition
Natural predators are organisms that hunt, kill, and consume other organisms for food. They play a crucial role in controlling populations of pests and maintaining the balance of ecosystems.
Analogy
Think of natural predators as the "pest control squad" of nature. Just like how a team of exterminators eliminates pests from your home, natural predators keep populations of pests in check by hunting them down.
Related terms
Prey: Organisms that are hunted and consumed by predators.
Trophic Cascade: A phenomenon where changes in the population size of one species can affect multiple trophic levels within an ecosystem.
Keystone Species: A species that has a disproportionately large impact on its environment relative to its abundance.
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