Question

Imagine that a landscaper was frustrated by caterpillars eating the grass of the lawns that he cared for The landscaper decided to use pesticide (a chemical that destroys pests), and successfully killed all of the caterpillars in the ecosystem. What organisms would be affected by the removal of caterpillars in the food web?

Answer 1

The use of pesticide to kill caterpillars would impact predator populations that feed on them, alter plant growth and composition, and potentially change the dynamics of the entire food web. It also affects the natural control of pest populations by their predators and parasites.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a landscaper uses pesticide to eliminate caterpillars from an ecosystem, a cascade of effects can occur. Caterpillars are often a primary food source for various predators, such as birds, small mammals, and other insects. The removal of caterpillars can lead to a decline in these predator populations due to a lack of food. Subsequently, plants that caterpillars consume may experience overgrowth, potentially outcompeting other plant species and reducing biodiversity. The principle of a food web shows that all organisms are interconnected and that the removal of one species can have consequences throughout the ecosystem. Additionally, predators and parasites that once controlled pest populations may decline, possibly leading to other pests becoming more prevalent. This is aligned with studies showing that landscape complexity and natural enemies of pests play substantial roles in controlling pest populations.