蚂蚁是生态系统中重要的捕食者,个体间常常通力合作来捕获比它们体型大的多的猎物。蚂蚁能捕食取食植物的毛虫从而减少毛虫对植物的伤害,对植物起到间接的保护作用。但是,蚂蚁也能捕食传粉昆虫,从而不利于植物的授粉。这种由处于高营养级的捕食者导致的种间直接和间接作用被称为营养级联(trophic cascade)。 Ants are important predators in ecosystems, and individuals often work together to capture prey larger than their size. Ants can predate the feeding of plant caterpillars thereby reducing the caterpillar damage to plants, play an indirect protective effect on plants. However, ants can also prey on pollinators, which is detrimental to plant pollination. This direct and indirect effect between species, which is caused by predators at high trophic levels, is called the trophic cascade.