Re: Grendels was: FT-Fighters and SG-aliens

G'day guys,

 >Answer - apparently this is used by
 >a South African Frog - eating it's
 >young as primary food source.  BUT,
 >I am a Regional Analyst/Cardiographer
 >type - ask Beth, she's the biologist type!

Cannibalism is a common tactic of many species, particularly those with
no 
parental attachment. Its better known for aquatic species, but will
occur 
in terrestrial species too (particularly reptiles). Its can be so common
in 
fish species that it is the major underlying assumption of one of the
main 
stock-recruit curves ("how many juveniles can we expect from this many 
adults" curve). Its place in ecosystems is still a hazy part of ecology,

but as far as theory can tell us its a stabilizing force so long as the 
rate is less than about 5% in the long term.

Cheers

Beth

------------------------------------------------------------------------
---- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Elizabeth Fulton
c/o CSIRO Division of Marine Research
GPO Box 1538
HOBART
TASMANIA 7001
AUSTRALIA
Phone (03) 6232 5018 International +61 3 6232 5018
Fax 03 6232 5053 International +61 3 6232 5053