Webs Under Threat

Human activity is simplifying food webs worldwide. When we remove large predators, overfish key species, introduce invasive species, or fragment habitats, we reduce the number and diversity of connections that make webs resilient.

Simplified food webs are more vulnerable to collapse. A diverse coral reef can withstand disturbances that would destroy a simplified one. A prairie with dozens of grass species survives drought that kills a monoculture. Biodiversity is not a luxury. It is the structural integrity of the system that produces the ecosystem services — clean water, fertile soil, pollination, climate regulation — that human civilization depends on.