What is the food Web? - Quora

Question

Consider this food web. It is rich with animal species that fill a variety with niches within the ecosystem. Imagine that a local farmer has sprayed the area with insecticide. Predict how this might "initially" impact the food web and the roles each organism plays within it.



a
One section of the food web would be greatly impacted right away: the section containing the insects and insect-eating animals. Without insects and possibly spiders, there would be no food for the frogs, shrews and insectivorous birds.
b
Although the farmer's spray would wipe out the insects, the other herbivores, rabbits, squirrels, mice and birds, would take over the empty niches and the food web would continue with very little change.
c
The entire food web would be decimated. The food web would collapse without this niche being filled due to the pesticides used.
d
One section of the food web would be greatly impacted: the section containing the hawk and snake. They would quickly disappear due to the pesticide use.

Answer 1

Considering the options given, option "a" seems like the most likely scenario. The removal of insects from the food web would have a cascading effect, impacting the animals that rely on them for food. This could lead to a decrease in populations of insect-eating animals like frogs, shrews, and birds. The overall balance of the food web would be disrupted, potentially leading to a decrease in biodiversity and overall ecosystem health.