What happens if the numbers go up or down? Examine the food web. Illustration 1.4 What will happen if tigers disappear from this habitat? Which organisms will increase in number? What will happen if the deer population increases? Why tiger conservation? The tiger is one among the highest link in the food web. Organisms in each link play a key role in maintaining healthy numbers of herbivores and carnivores in an ecosystem. If some organisms in the lower links of the food web disappear, they may be replaced by other organisms that perform the same function. If there are no other creatures like the tiger, there are no one to perform its functions.
Therefore, conservation of high-ranking organisms like the tiger is a priority. By conserving tigers, a larger habitat is being conserved. Basic Science V 14