[quote]Berserkergang wrote:
[quote]challer1 wrote:
[quote]Berserkergang wrote:
[quote]Headhunter wrote:
Then the Garden of Eden would have been a place of total peace, with no predators or prey, just peaceful plants. God [/quote]
Life would be impossible without the predator/prey relationships. Life is a series of mutual dependencies inextricably interrelated. You can’t have plants without herbivore animals, and vice versa.
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also, that’s ridiculous. why couldn’t plants exist on their own? they use sunlight for energy… they don’t require something to run around eating them. some plants use this as a competitive advantage and would certainly suffer if all the animals suddenly vanished on the planet. But, with that said, I’m sure many plants would do just fine. [/quote]
Plants use sunlight for energy but they need much than that! Can you thrive on sugar only? Some plants without herbivore animals will overrun the ecosystem leading to soil depletion (lack of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus). Other plants will die out due to lack of dispersal (a bunch of species have symbiotic relationships with animals that eat their seeds and fruits.) Some plants will overgrown, die and ultimately dead plants matter will pile up…a huge mess!
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In response to the sugar only comment - comparing the physiology humans to that of plants is also another ridiculous statement. we’re much more complicated then that.
Yes, some species would definitely die off, but plants would continue to adapt to their changing environments. They evolved to take advantage of herbivores, they will evolve not to take advantage of them if they are gone.
Also, bacteria & fungi would still be around to decompose dead plants. plant matter simply wouldn’t pile up to the sky.
Things are in an intricate balance now, but if animals were to simply vanish one day, it definitely wouldn’t make “life impossible” for the plants and microbes left behind.