Apex predator

Spitzenprädator (lat / English ..: apex predator, and top predator, top predators, alpha predator, superpredator, top predator or top-level predator ) is in biology are not strictly defined term for a predator, which in an ecosystem alone or together with other organisms is at the top of the food pyramid. Full-grown top predators have no natural enemies in their natural habitat in general and colonize this habitat, usually in a very low density.

As typical top predators are on land the big cats and large in the sea toothed whales like sperm whales and killer. Within an ecosystem, however, must not occupy the position of Spitzenprädators very large vertebrates. This position can be achieved for example by individually hunting medium-sized predators such as birds of prey and owls or by the merger in packs; typical examples of this are Wolf, African Wild Dog and Hyena. This position is occupied by the extremely aggressive and individual- rich nations of the army ants in tropical rainforests. In small or only temporarily existing ecosystems, top predators are often invertebrates, in cow dung as large predatory rove beetle juice in rivers of trees predatory mites.

Although man has passed his role as Spitzenprädator mainly on land through domestication as a substitute for hunting, he is still referred to as such. It takes a special role to the effect that it shows different hunting behavior and adapts to the environment ( persistence hunting, stalking ), he hunts individually or in groups and thereby aids used ( spears, blowguns, firearms, trawler ). His role among top predators such as big cats man has secured only by developed hunting weapons and was until then similarly vulnerable as other apes still. In marine ecosystems, the human being is, however, penetrated as Spitzenprädator only a comparatively short time ago.