Welcome to Westonci.ca, your go-to destination for finding answers to all your questions. Join our expert community today! Find reliable answers to your questions from a wide community of knowledgeable experts on our user-friendly Q&A platform. Our platform offers a seamless experience for finding reliable answers from a network of knowledgeable professionals.

What significant function can parasitism have in the ecosystem?
a) the formation of lichens
b) benefiting the health of hosts
c) population decrease of an overabundant species
d) increasing habitat size


Sagot :

Answer:

Consider that parasites play an important role in regulating the populations of their hosts and the balance of the overall ecosystem. First, they kill off some organisms and make others vulnerable to predators. And there are millions of undiscovered parasite species, whose ecological niches we can only guess at.

Explanation:

Parasites also influence host behavior and fitness, and can regulate host population sizes, sometimes with profound effects on trophic interactions, food webs, competition, biodiversity and keystone species. These interactions suggest that parasites are integral components in shaping community- and ecosystem structure.