Category: Science

97 Paradox of Enrichment In laboratory predator-prey systems (e.g., algae and zooplankton), adding extra nutrients seems beneficial but can trigger large-amplitude oscillations leading to extinction. Abundant food lets prey over-populate, predators then explode, prey crash, and predators starve. Real ecosystems show similar instability when fertiliser run-off spurs algal blooms. The paradox warns that interventions geared…