What will happen if Antelope is missing in the food chain given below ? Grass → Antelope → Tiger

Question

What will happen if Antelope is missing in the food chain given below ?  Grass → Antelope → Tiger

Accepted Answer

In the given food chain, Grass → Antelope → Tiger, each organism plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. Let's analyze the impact of the absence of antelopes in this food chain:

1. **Explanation for Option 4 (Correct Answer):**  
   If antelopes are missing from the food chain, the tigers, which rely on antelopes as their primary food source, will face a shortage of food. This scarcity will lead to a decrease in the tiger population due to starvation and lack of energy to reproduce. On the other hand, since antelopes are the primary consumers of grass, their absence means that grass will not be consumed at the same rate. Consequently, the grass population will increase due to the lack of grazing pressure. Therefore, Option 4 is correct: the population of tigers decreases, and the population of grass increases.

2. **Explanation for why other options are incorrect:**

- **Option 1:** "The population of tiger increases."  
     This option is incorrect because, without antelopes, tigers lose their main food source. Instead of increasing, the tiger population is likely to decrease due to starvation and reduced reproductive success.

- **Option 2:** "The population of grass decreases."  
     This option is incorrect because, in the absence of antelopes, there are fewer herbivores to consume the grass. As a result, the grass population is more likely to increase rather than decrease.

- **Option 3:** "Tiger will start eating grass."  
     This option is incorrect because tigers are obligate carnivores, meaning their diet consists primarily of meat. They are not adapted to digest grass, and it does not provide the necessary nutrients for their survival. Therefore, tigers will not start eating grass.

In conclusion, the absence of antelopes disrupts the food chain, leading to a decrease in the tiger population due to lack of food and an increase in the grass population due to reduced grazing. This supports Option 4 as the correct answer.