Misconception |
Reference* |
|
The relative sizes of prey and predator populations
have no bearing on the size of the other.
|
Gallegos et al. 1994 |
In a food web, a change in size in one population will
only affect another population if the two populations are directly
related as predator and prey.
|
Gallegos et al. 1994 |
Organisms higher in a food web eat everything
that is lower
in the food web.
|
Griffiths & Grant 1985 |
Populations higher on a food web increase in number, because
they deplete those lower in the web. |
Munson 1991, 1994 |
| The number of producers is high to satisfy consumers. |
Leach et al. 1996 |
| "Balance of nature" refers to populations of predators and prey being similar in size. |
Brehm et al. 1986 |
| Food chains involve predator and prey, but not producers. |
Gallegos et al. 1994 |
| Carnivores are big and/or ferocious. Herbivores are passive and/or smaller. |
Gallegos et al. 1994 |
| Carnivores have more energy or power than herbivores do. |
Adeniyi 1985 |
| Plants are weak and cannot defend themselves. |
D'Avanzo 2003 |
|
*Complete references are available on the Resources
Page. |
|
The
Ecosystem