abundance of prey

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "abundance of prey" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing ecosystems, wildlife, or hunting, where there is a large quantity of animals available for predators. Example: "The region's healthy ecosystem supports an abundance of prey, making it an ideal habitat for various predators."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

28 human-written examples

A. Changes in the availability and abundance of prey.

The New York Times - Science

The size of coyote territories varies among habitats and also depends on its abundance of prey.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The 11 species often referred to as river otters are found throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia in freshwater ecosystems that sustain an abundance of prey such as fish, crayfish, crabs, mussels, and frogs.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) Kestrels have been declining in recent years and giving concern to conservationists, but they had a very good breeding season in 2011, thanks to an abundance of prey.

Independent

In the last 30 years, they have thrived in Berlin where there is an abundance of prey (they hunt and eat mainly pigeons but also birds such as crows and magpies, and mammals including rats and squirrels) and they are not usually persecuted by humans.

The Guardian

Decreased competition along with a lower abundance of prey may have favored a more economically built coyote.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

Recent experimental data shows that the movement pattern of various marine predators, like blue basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus), bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) [14], and terrestrial animal like goat (Capra hircus) [8] shows Lévy walks pattern in areas with low abundance of preys or foods and Brownian walks in areas with high abundance.

Plosone

Negative values of m are meaningless, and values of m between 0 and 1 imply that at unchanged abundance of other prey species, attack rate on one prey species can decrease with increasing density of this prey, which is implausible.

Plosone

In a survey of avian prey species, we found comparable abundances of prey-sized bird species in green backyards, parks and surrounding suburban areas.

Landscape and Urban Planning

The abundances of preys varied during the study period and between the crab density areas, indicating that the use of these areas by birds is independent of crab density.

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

In general, it has been observed that plant consumption has evolved primarily in species occurring in warm habitats, where vegetation is extremely abundant (e.g. tropical forests), or where abundance of animal prey is extremely low (e.g. deserts, small islands) [ 11, 80, 86, 87].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing ecological balance, use "abundance of prey" to highlight the positive aspect of a healthy food chain and its impact on predator populations. For example: 'The island's ecosystem benefits from a consistent "abundance of prey", supporting a diverse range of predator species.'

Common error

Avoid using "abundance of prey" metaphorically in contexts unrelated to wildlife or ecology. Instead of saying "an abundance of prey for investment opportunities", use a more appropriate phrase like "a wealth of investment opportunities".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "abundance of prey" functions primarily as a noun phrase, acting as the subject or object in a sentence. Ludwig shows examples in scientific and news contexts, illustrating its role in ecological discussions.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

68%

News & Media

20%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

6%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "abundance of prey" is a grammatically sound noun phrase frequently employed in ecological and wildlife contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, indicating that it effectively describes the availability of food resources for predators within an ecosystem. Its usage is particularly common in scientific literature and news reports, highlighting its relevance in discussing ecological balance and population dynamics. While alternatives like "plentiful prey" or "ample prey" exist, "abundance of prey" offers a formal and precise way to convey the concept. Remember to use it primarily in contexts related to ecology and wildlife to avoid misapplication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

plentiful prey

Simpler wording, replacing "abundance" with "plentiful".

ample prey

Replaces "abundance" with "ample", suggesting a sufficient amount.

sufficient prey

Indicates that there is enough prey to meet the needs of the predators.

large quantity of prey

More descriptive, specifying a large amount of prey.

high prey availability

Focuses on the accessibility of prey, rather than the sheer amount.

richness of prey

Highlights the variety and quality of prey species available.

prey profusion

More formal and less common, emphasizing an overflowing amount of prey.

prey surplus

Indicates there is more prey than predators need.

prey overabundance

Suggests an excessive amount of prey, potentially causing ecological imbalance.

thriving prey population

Focuses on the health and growth of the prey species.

FAQs

How can I use "abundance of prey" in a sentence?

You can use "abundance of prey" to describe a situation where there is a large quantity of animals available for predators in an ecosystem. For instance, "The increased abundance of prey in the region has led to a rise in the population of eagles."

What are some alternatives to "abundance of prey"?

You can use alternatives such as "plentiful prey", "ample prey", or "sufficient prey" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "abundance of prey" or "high prey availability"?

"Abundance of prey" refers to the quantity of prey, while "high prey availability" refers to how easily predators can access the prey. The better choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the quantity or the accessibility.

What factors can influence the "abundance of prey" in an ecosystem?

Factors such as climate change, habitat destruction, pollution, and overhunting can all significantly impact the "abundance of prey" in an ecosystem.