Animal Interactions

Organisms, or "players", work together in complex ecosystems. Some of the key elements to these ecosystems include:

• Autotrophs, which are organisms that serve as the primary producers of the food chain. These organisms (plants) don't consume other organisms but use photosynthesis to get their energy and nutrients.

• Heterotrophs are organisms that consume other organisms and can't produce their own energy or nutrients (herbivores, carnivores, etc.).

• An herbivore is an animal that eats plants. Herbivores are mainly prey animals.

• A carnivore is an animal that eats other animals. Carnivores are often predatory.

• A decomposer is an organism that breaks down organic matter (dead animals, etc.). Some decomposers are bacteria and fungi.

• Detritivores are animals that eat dead organic matter. These include microorganisms such as bacteria or larger organisms like worms.

• A producer is an organism that makes its own food, like an autotroph.

• A consumer is an organism that can't make its own food and feeds on other organisms, like a heterotroph.

This trophic pyramid shows the different levels of animals in the ecosystem of Karoo National Park. As you can see, the amount of animals significantly decreases from primary to tertiary consumers. This is could be because the park preserves its animals, keeping them safe from predatory animals. As energy and nutrients move up to the top of the pyramid, only 10% of the energy loss between each level, which means there's less energy going to animals in the different stages of the food pyramid; although, the large amount of producers in every ecosystem ensures there's enough energy and nutrients for each animal.

At Karoo National Park, the keystone species, or the most important species, are the producers (grasslands, bacteria, etc.). If it weren't for their abilities to make their own nutrients, the populations at Karoo would suffer. Considering the fact that the majority of the animals at Karoo are herbivores, these animals wouldn't have a food source if it weren't for the plants. Furthermore, if the populations of these producers were to decrease, the overall population of the park would decrease and the ecosystem would possibly diminish; if the herbivores (primary consumers) didn't get the energy they needed to survive, then the rest of the food chain (carnivores) wouldn't get enough food or energy from their prey. If the amount of producers were to increase, the population might stay the same because there would be plenty of food for the herbivores to survive and pass energy through the rest of the food chain.

If the herbivores disappeard from Karoo National Park, the population of most if not every animal species would greatly decrease and eventually disappear because without the herbivores as prey, carnivores wouldn't have a food source.