1. Tardigrade
  2. Question
  3. Biology
  4. Read the below statements and select the appropriate option. a. Experimental removal of Pisaster resulted in the extinction of more than ten species of invertebrates. b. Nearly 20 percent of all insects are known to be phytophagous. c. Predators help to maintain species diversity.

Q. Read the below statements and select the appropriate option.
Experimental removal of Pisaster resulted in the extinction of more than ten species of invertebrates.
Nearly 20 percent of all insects are known to be phytophagous.
Predators help to maintain species diversity.

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Solution:

The biological interaction where one organism (predator) kills and eats another organism (prey) is called predation. Predation can be considered as a natural way of energy transfer between organisms in the trophic level. Predators are found to support species diversity by reducing competition among preys that are competing for resources. Predators have an important role in the ecosystem and their absence can have a detrimental effect. Example, in the American Pacific coast, Pisaster, a starfish is an important predator. On its removal from the ecosystem caused extinction of more than 10 species of invertebrates.
Nearly 25 percent of all insects are known to be phytophagous (feeding on plant sap and other parts of plants).