Final answer:
The hyena poses a threat to Pi by competing with him for the limited food resources available in the lifeboat. This competition for food is considered a form of predation, where both Pi and the hyena are predators in the same ecosystem, and the scarcity of food is the driving factor behind this threat.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hyena is a threat to Pi because it competes with Pi for food. In the context of predator-prey relationships, the hyena and Pi are both predators and can be seen as competitors within their ecosystem. Predation, which involves a predator consuming its prey, is an important ecological interaction, relevant to the survival of Pi, who finds himself in a lifeboat with a hyena after a shipwreck.
For example, carnivores like lions actively hunt their prey and are able to consume smaller carnivorous animals or herbivores. Similarly, within Pi's lifeboat scenario, the hyena may also hunt and compete for the same limited resources that Pi relies upon to survive. This competition for food resources makes the hyena a direct threat to Pi's survival, as they both require food to sustain themselves. A lack of available food could result in Pi facing a much more critical threat from the hyena that may lead to Pi becoming prey himself if the circumstances become desperate.