Sharks are apex predators in our oceans. They instill fear in people of all ages, and a lot of that is thanks to the movie JAWS and the media blowing shark attacks way out of proportion. These strange fish are not the cold-blooded killers that they are portrayed to be. They have sharp teeth and look intimidating, but most sharks are curious about what we are and want to check us out. Unfortunately, the only way they can do this is through their mouths. They are like oversized puppies in many ways. But without them, the ocean’s delicate ecosystem would collapse.
First, What is a Tertiary Consumer?
Tertiary consumers are typically carnivores high on the food chain because they are described as any organism that feeds on primary or secondary microorganisms. The entire system suffers if any section of the food chain is disrupted. Large predators like big sharks are necessary in keeping the ecosystem functioning. A shark’s diet is comprised almost entirely of fish.
Producers
This group comprises plants and organisms that require photosynthesis to live. These organisms do not rely on other organisms for food because they create their own. They are the base and bottom of the food chain, meaning they are consumed by many consumers who rank higher on the food chain.
Primary Consumers
Primary consumers are herbivores who consume the plants that produce the food chain. This includes the grass and plant eaters of the world. Rabbits, deer, mice, squirrels, earthworms, bison, elk, moose, etc. Looking at it from the marine side of the equation leaves tiny fish, zooplankton, and crustaceans to make plants the best meal yet. Unfortunately, these tiny consumers are fattening up for the secondary consumers to eat.
Secondary Consumers
Next are the secondary consumers, who survive off the primary consumers and may also eat plants. Examples of secondary consumers are birds, snakes, frogs and toads, fish, some small sharks, spiders, dolphins, and others that must consume primary consumers to survive. The secondary consumers are the middle ground between apex predators and producers.
Tertiary Consumers
Tertiary consumers are the big apex predators like wolves, big sharks, bears, cats and dogs, and other large dangerous animals. These animals take the elderly and sick, improving the entire herd’s health. They are responsible for removing dead animals and hunting those whose populations are getting out of hand. They are one of the grimmest aspects of the food chain but are crucial to the survival of many populations.
How Do Sharks Support a Healthy Ocean Ecosystem?
Sharks play a very important role in the ocean ecosystem. As tertiary consumers, they keep schools of fish in check and prevent overcrowding. Without the sharks, fish would become overpopulated, and that would lead to not enough food for them to eat. Eventually, their numbers would climb so high that they would become sick or starve since there would not be enough food for everyone in an overpopulated society.
Fighting would break out over what food remained, and the weak, injured, or elderly would be the first to die out. Wounds from others would become infected since the animal’s immune system might be compromised because of starvation. They would then be faced with death by infection. Chances are, an apex predator will catch them first. With lowered immune systems and not enough strength, they would die out.
With sharks and other apex predators, supply and demand is kept even unless humans have tampered with the health of a population in the food chain. Tertiary consumers pick off the dying, sick, elderly, and weak young. It is not something we like, but it is important to the survival and health of our oceans. A downward spiral will begin if one producer or consumer disappears from the food chain. The consequences could take many years to become apparent, though they are almost always detrimental and can lead to the extinction of marine life dependent on them.
Humans are also capable of destroying the food chain and ecosystem by overhunting or fishing, polluting the waters and natural homes of consumers and producers, and by overbuilding and annihilating the homes of native wildlife. We must leave as little of a footprint on Earth as possible. By enjoying parks, hiking, and camping, we all can pick up trash left by others. Little things like this can significantly improve the chances of survival for certain species.
The Ocean is Their Home, Not Ours
It can be difficult for anyone to watch an apex predator hunt and take down an animal, but it is vital to a healthy planet. The sick and weak must make way for the young and healthy animals, or their population could collapse. Small sharks manage fish overpopulation, and bigger sharks handle the populations of those who eat the small sharks.
Large fishing operations, especially those illegally harvesting a threatened or endangered species, can cause significant damage to the ecosystem and food chain of marine life. We must all chip in and do our part to help the ocean remain as it should. It’s also imperative that we do not intervene with nature. If you see coyotes eating baby bunnies, it’s important not to give yourself a place in that situation. It can be challenging to see any form of violence, but the kind that nature can unleash may seem particularly gruesome. Every bit of life on the planet helps to form a healthy food chain.
