Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Predator-Prey Interactions

Predator-Prey Interactions

Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.Although predation is commonly associated with carnivory, for...

Microbial Interactions: Predation

Microbial Interactions: Predation

Microbial predation refers to the process by which one microorganism kills and consumes another to obtain nutrients and energy. It encompasses both bacterial and protozoan predators. This interaction plays a crucial role in shaping microbial communities and regulating nutrient cycling.Bacterial Predators: Epibiotic vs. EndobioticBacterial predators are classified based on their mode of attack as either epibiotic or endobiotic. Epibiotic predators, such as Vampirococcus, attach to the surface of...

Microbial Wastewater Treatment

Microbial Wastewater Treatment

Microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems play a key role in the natural breakdown of contaminants introduced through domestic and industrial effluents. Acting as biological catalysts, these microbes change and mineralize a wide range of organic and inorganic pollutants under different redox conditions.In oxygen-rich surface waters, aerobic heterotrophs lead organic matter breakdown, using oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor to efficiently oxidize substrates to carbon dioxide and water.

Trophic Efficiency

Trophic Efficiency

Trophic level transfer efficiency (TLTE) is a measure of the total energy transfer from one trophic level to the next. Due to extensive energy loss as metabolic heat, an average of only 10% of the original energy obtained is passed on to the next level. This pattern of energy loss severely limits the possible number of trophic levels in a food chain.

Bioremediation

Bioremediation

Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.

The Nitrogen Cycle

The Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen atoms, present in all proteins and DNA, are recycled between abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem. However, the primary form of nitrogen on Earth is nitrogen gas, which cannot be used by most animals and plants. Thus, nitrogen gas must first be converted into a usable form by nitrogen-fixing bacteria before it can be cycled through other living organisms. The use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers and animal waste products in human agriculture has greatly influenced the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Desert lizards modulate nutritional responses to match seasonal biological needs.

Royal Society open science·2026

Same author

Bat Colony and Cave Zone Shape Arthropod Assemblages in Levantine Caves.

Insects·2026

Same author

Revisiting decomposition theory through a macro-detritivore lens.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2025

Same author

Local Thermal Extremes Shape the Nature of Herbivore Plasticity That Controls Plant Communities.

Ecology letters·2025

Same author

Ecosystem Effects of Predators Are Amplified Across Generations Through Prey Behavioural Plasticity.

Ecology letters·2025

Same author

A Quantitative Survey of Cogradient and Countergradient Variation in Nature.

The American naturalist·2025

Same journal

A New Framework to Empower Ecosystem Assessment Through the Integration of eDNA Inventories, Graph Theory and Niche Modelling.

Ecology letters·2026

Same journal

Correction to 'Artificial Light at Night Consistently Impacts Avian Physiology and Behaviour: A Meta-Analysis'.

Ecology letters·2026

Same journal

Lucky To Be Alive, Luckier to Breed: Lifetime Reproduction in Weddell Seals.

Ecology letters·2026

Same journal

Three-Dimensional Correlated Random Walks for Animal Movement and Habitat Selection.

Ecology letters·2026

Same journal

Higher-Order Interactions Can Promote Coexistence by Rewiring Intransitivities Into Competitive Networks.

Ecology letters·2026

Same journal

Plants That Evolved Under High Phylogenetic Diversity Have Higher Invasion Success, Particularly in Undisturbed Communities.

Ecology letters·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

Predator control of ecosystem nutrient dynamics.

Oswald J Schmitz¹, Dror Hawlena, Geoffrey C Trussell

¹School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA. oswald.schmitz@yale.edu

Ecology Letters

|July 7, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Predators are crucial for nutrient cycling, a vital ecosystem service often overlooked. Their role in nutrient distribution impacts ecosystem health, highlighting the significant loss when predator species disappear.

More Related Videos

Assaying Predatory Feeding Behaviors in Pristionchus and Other Nematodes

Assaying Predatory Feeding Behaviors in Pristionchus and Other Nematodes

Published on: September 4, 2016

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Published on: October 5, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

Assaying Predatory Feeding Behaviors in Pristionchus and Other Nematodes

Assaying Predatory Feeding Behaviors in Pristionchus and Other Nematodes

Published on: September 4, 2016

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers

Published on: October 5, 2017

Area of Science:

Ecology
Ecosystem Services
Nutrient Cycling

Background:

Predators are traditionally recognized for prey control, biodiversity indication, and tourism.
This perspective omits their significant role in essential ecosystem services like nutrient cycling.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight the ubiquitous and critical role of predators in ecosystem nutrient cycling.
To underscore the broader ecological implications of predator loss beyond charismatic value.

Main Methods:

The study synthesizes current research on predator-mediated nutrient cycling.
It examines direct (excretion, egestion) and indirect (prey interactions) pathways of nutrient translocation.
Behavioral ecology of predators and their impact on nutrient distribution heterogeneity is analyzed.

Main Results:

Predator effects on nutrient cycling are widespread across ecosystems.
Predators influence nutrient distribution, creating either heterogeneous or homogeneous patterns.
Nutrient translocation occurs through direct excretion and indirect effects via prey.

Conclusions:

Predators are integral to ecosystem nutrient cycling, a critical life-support service.
The loss of predator species results in substantial ecological consequences, impacting ecosystem functioning.
Recognizing predators' role in nutrient cycling is vital for conservation efforts.