What are trophic cascades?

Trophic cascades are defined as ecological phenomena that occur when a change in the population dynamics of one trophic level significantly impacts the trophic levels above or below it in a food web. Specifically, they highlight how predators, herbivores, and primary producers interact and influence each other's populations.

For instance, if a predator is removed from an ecosystem, the population of herbivores may increase. This increase can lead to overgrazing, which negatively impacts the primary producers (like plants) in that ecosystem. Conversely, if predators are introduced or their population increases, herbivore numbers may decline, allowing plant populations to recover and stabilize. These cascading effects demonstrate the interconnectedness within ecosystems, where changes in one species can ripple through the food web, illustrating the importance of each trophic level in maintaining ecological balance.

This understanding of trophic cascades is critical for wildlife management and conservation efforts, as it underscores how human interventions can lead to significant ecological consequences by altering predator or prey populations.