Impact of Missing or Extinct Species on

The Ecological Balance

Species chosen : Megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon)

Image source: NewAtlas.Com

Introduction

Image source: Britannica

The megalodon, scientifically known as Carcharocles megalodon, was an extinct species

of giant mackerel shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago, from the
Early Miocene to the Pliocene epochs. It was considered to be the largest shark and fish
that ever lived, reaching lengths of up to 60 feet and weighing 50 to 75 tons. Fossil
remains of megalodon have been found in shallow tropical and temperate seas along the
coastlines and continental shelf regions of all continents except Antarctica. The
megalodon was a fearsome predator, likely preying on a diverse array of animals
including toothed and baleen whales, seals, sea cows, sea turtles, and possibly other
sharks and fish. It is believed to have produced live young and required ample prey to
fuel its large body. The megalodon is thought to have become extinct around 3.6 million
years ago.

What's Megalodon's role and significance in Earth's

ecosystem?
The megalodon, as a transoceanic superpredator, played an important ecological role in
ancient marine ecosystems. Recent studies have shed light on the significance of the
megalodon in the food web and its ecological impact:
Trophic Level: Research published in Science Advances revealed that the megalodon
occupied the highest trophic level of any ocean predator, living or extinct. Determining
the trophic level of extinct animals is important as it helps understand their place in the
ecosystem and provides insights into the evolution and extinction of specific animals.
The high trophic level of the megalodon may indicate longer food chains in ancient
ecosystems, raising questions about how these ecosystems sustained such a high trophic
level predator.

Ecological Role: The extinction of the megalodon likely had significant impacts on
global nutrient transfer and trophic food webs. Its role as a transoceanic superpredator
suggests that it played a crucial part in nutrient movement between marine regions,
potentially affecting ecosystem diversity, productivity, and stability.

Impact on Marine Ecosystems: Megalodon and other megatooth sharks may have
occupied a higher position in the food web than any modern marine predator.
Understanding the evolution and behavior of megatooth sharks can provide insights into
how past climate events impacted the marine ecosystems they lived in, which in turn can
guide efforts to protect life in the future.

What was the impact of climate change on the extinction

of Megalodon?
Climate change played a significant role in the extinction of the Megalodon. The global
temperature during the Miocene was higher than today but fell to temperatures close to
our "normal" shortly into the Pliocene epoch. Megalodon, like most mackerel sharks, was
most at home in these tropical conditions.

Temperature changes:

The average body temperature of a megalodon could have been as high as 35 to 40°C (95
to 104°F), much higher than those of makos and great white ancestors, which they found
averaged 20 to 30°C (68 to 86°F). As the global temperature changed, the Megalodon's
habitat became less suitable.
Image source: BioWeb

The megalodon, scientifically known as Carcharocles megalodon, lived during the

Miocene and Pliocene epochs. Fossils attributed to megalodon have been found dating
from the early Miocene Epoch, which began approximately 23 million years ago, to the
end of the Pliocene Epoch, around 2.6 million years ago. During the early and middle
parts of the Miocene Epoch, large seaways separated continents, likely facilitating the
movement of megalodon from one ocean basin to another. Throughout the Miocene,
megalodon's distribution expanded from pockets located in various seas to encompass
waters off the coasts of continents worldwide.

One of the prevailing theories about Megalodon's extinction revolves around significant
shifts in global climate and ocean temperatures. Around 2.6 million years ago, during the
Pliocene Epoch, the Earth began a transition toward a cooler climate. This shift marked
the onset of the Ice Age, characterized by alternating periods of glaciation and warmer
interglacial periods.

The cooling of the planet's oceans during this time likely had a profound impact on
Megalodon's habitat and food sources. As temperatures dropped, the distribution of
marine life changed, with some species moving to different regions or adapting to cooler
waters. This climate change may have affected the availability of Megalodon's primary
prey, such as whales and other large marine mammals, leading to a decline in their
populations.
Furthermore, the cooling of oceans could have affected Megalodon directly. Being a
species that likely relied on warmer waters for its survival and reproduction, the gradual
decrease in suitable habitats might have posed significant challenges for Megalodon's
ability to adapt.

Image Source: Prehistoric Megalodon

Food scarcity

It is thought that the main driver of the Megalodon's disappearance was that they ran out
of food. As the Great Ice Age approached and Earth cooled, shifting tectonic plates were
beginning to close the ancient seaways that used to exist between continents. This altered
the currents in the ocean, disrupting the food supply for Megalodon.

The megalodon, as an apex predator, had a diverse diet that included a range of marine
animals. According to Britannica, it preyed upon fish, baleen whales, toothed whales
(such as ancestral forms of modern sperm whales, dolphins, and killer whales), sirenians
(such as dugongs and manatees), and seals. National Geographic Kids also mentions that
the megalodon's diet included whales, dolphins, seals, and probably other sharks.
Additionally, the megalodon is assumed to have consumed fish, sea turtles, and dugongs,
among other ocean life and marine mammals. The megalodon's large size and power
allowed it to hunt a variety of marine animals, making it the apex predator of its time.
The abundance and distribution of these prey species were crucial for the sustenance of
Megalodon populations. However, around 2.6 million years ago, during the transition
from the Miocene to the Pliocene Epoch, significant climatic changes occurred.

Image source: Wikipedia

The onset of the Ice Age brought about shifts in global temperatures, altering oceanic
conditions and ecosystems. These changes impacted the distribution of marine life,
including the migration patterns of whales and other large marine mammals that formed
the primary diet of Megalodon.
As temperatures cooled, the habitats and migratory routes of these prey species likely
changed, possibly moving to different regions or adapting to new environmental
conditions. This shift could have resulted in a decrease in the availability of Megalodon's
preferred food sources in their traditional hunting grounds.

Shrinking habitat:
Due to lowered temperature and sea level, Megalodon lost large areas of suitable habitat.
The end of the Megalodon was an effect of the dramatic shift in global ocean ecologies
that was kickstarted by the climate changes of the Miocene-Pliocene boundary.

As the planet underwent a cooling trend marking the onset of the Ice Age, sea levels
fluctuated, and the distribution of marine ecosystems changed. The cooling temperatures
likely resulted in the gradual retreat of warm, shallow coastal waters that Megalodon
preferred for hunting and reproduction.

The shrinking of suitable habitats due to the shift in global climate could have had a
profound impact on Megalodon populations. As their preferred warm-water environments
diminished, Megalodon might have faced challenges in adapting to new or cooler oceanic
conditions. Their inability to thrive in different habitats or to successfully reproduce in
altered environments might have contributed to a decline in their populations.

Competition:

The extinction of Megalodon may have been related to competition with other species for
food and habitat. As climate change affected the oceans, other species may have adapted
better to the changing conditions, leading to the decline of Megalodon

Climate change, temperature changes, shrinking habitat, food scarcity, and competition
played a significant role in the extinction of the Megalodon. The exact point of
extinction has shifted over the years as more data has become available, with some
studies placing the Megalodon's extinction relatively close to the present, about 2.6
million years ago, while a 2019 study places a 800 thousand-year range between 4 and
3.2 million years ago, with a median extinction range about 3.5 million years ago
During the time of the Megalodon's dominance, it was one of the most formidable
predators in the ocean. However, there were other large marine creatures that may have
served as competitors or potential threats to Megalodon's existence:

Other Apex Predators: Megalodon might have faced competition from other apex
predators, such as large predatory whales like Livyatan and sperm whales. While these
creatures were not direct competitors for the same food sources, their presence in the
oceans could have influenced Megalodon's hunting grounds or led to occasional
confrontations over territory.

Other Giant Sharks: While not as massive as Megalodon, there were other sizable
sharks, such as the prehistoric shark Carcharocles chubutensis and the great white shark's
ancestors, that might have overlapped in territories or competed for similar prey.

Marine Reptiles: Although not contemporaries, during earlier geological periods like the
Mesozoic Era, marine reptiles like the mosasaurs and large predatory ichthyosaurs
occupied a similar ecological niche as top marine predators. While they existed millions
of years before Megalodon, they could be considered potential competitors in terms of
their roles in the marine food web.

Rival Megalodons: As with many predators, competition likely existed among

Megalodons themselves. The struggle for resources, territory, and mating opportunities
might have led to conflicts between individual sharks.

Connecting link of Megalodon with other organism:

● The megalodon, or Otodus megalodon, is an extinct species of giant mackerel

shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago. It was an apex predator
in the marine environments it inhabited, preying upon fish, baleen whales, toothed
whales, sirenians, and seals.

● Recent research suggests that the megalodon was more closely related to an
ancestor of mako sharks, smaller but faster fish-eating sharks, rather than the great
white shark
 ● Megalodon's extinction may have been linked to competition for food with another
ferocious predator, the great white shark, as they may have competed for the same
food, including whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

Image Source : Web

The impact of those missing organisms on the population

of other living or nonliving things on earth.
The extinction of the Megalodon, the largest shark that ever lived, had a significant
impact on the marine ecosystem. As an apex predator, the Megalodon played a crucial
role in keeping populations of its prey, such as cetaceans (whales and dolphins),
pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walruses), and large marine fish, in check. Its absence led
to cascading effects throughout the food web.

Impact on Prey Populations:

The disappearance of the Megalodon allowed populations of its prey to expand,

potentially leading to overgrazing of plankton and other food sources. This, in turn, could
have affected the populations of smaller fish and other organisms that rely on these food
sources.
The megalodon, being an enormous carnivorous predator, had a diverse array of prey,
including:
● Fish
● Baleen whales
● Toothed whales, such as ancestral forms of modern sperm whales, dolphins, and
killer whales
● Sirenians, such as dugongs and manatees
● Seals
● Sea turtles
● Other sharks, including smaller fish and other sharks

Megalodon's diet likely included animals as small as dolphins and as large as humpback
whales. The megalodon's feeding habits were opportunistic, and it is believed that larger
prey, like small whales, were struck in the chest, while smaller prey were likely stunned
before being bitten. The extinction of the megalodon around 2.6 million years ago
coincided with significant changes in the marine ecosystem, including the decline of large
mammals in the ocean, which were likely among the megalodon's favorite prey.

Impact on Ecosystem Structure:

Image source: Britannica

The Megalodon's predatory activities helped to shape the structure and dynamics of
marine ecosystems. Its absence may have altered predator-prey relationships and
competition dynamics among other marine predators.

Cascading effects on the food web: The removal of an apex predator like the megalodon
can trigger cascading effects through entire food webs, potentially leading to changes in
the population dynamics of other marine species.

Changes in predator-prey relationships: The extinction of the megalodon may have

affected the dynamics of marine predator-prey relationships, potentially leading to shifts
in the abundance and distribution of other marine predators and their prey.

Impact on marine mammal populations: Megalodon's extinction coincided with

significant changes in the marine ecosystem, including the decline of large mammals in
the ocean, which were likely among the megalodon's favourite prey.

Insight into ecological concerns: Understanding the factors behind the extinction of the
megalodon could provide ecologists with insight into the threats that lead to the
extinction of an apex predator, improving our understanding of the responses of marine
species to these changes and presenting a unique perspective for the conservation of
modern ecosystems.

Impact on Nutrient Cycling:

As apex predators, sharks play a vital role in nutrient cycling by transporting nutrients
from deep ocean waters to shallower areas where they are more readily available to other
organisms. The Megalodon's large size and wide-ranging behaviour would have made it a
particularly effective nutrient transporter.

Impact on Human Evolution:

While the Megalodon's extinction occurred millions of years before the emergence of
modern humans, some scientists speculate that its presence during the early Pliocene
epoch (2.3 to 5.3 million years ago) may have influenced the evolutionary trajectory of
early hominins. The threat of predation by Megalodons could have driven early humans
to seek refuge in inland habitats, potentially influencing their development and behaviour.
Make a mind map to show how the missing species affect
the ecological balance.

For a better view there is a dive link –

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SEgYLDQ2YqnmGtonJD9ibMHfkUa1H3Bf/view?usp=sharing

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