In ecological terms, a lion hunting and eating a zebra in the grassland is an example of which type of species interaction?

Introduction / Context:
Ecology studies how organisms interact with each other and with their environment. Species interactions include predation, competition, mutualism, and others. A classic example used in textbooks is a lion hunting a zebra on the African savanna. This question asks you to correctly classify that interaction in ecological terms.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We have a lion, a carnivorous predator, and a zebra, an herbivorous prey animal.
• The lion hunts, kills, and eats the zebra.
• The options include predation, a keystone species, herbivory, habitat destruction, and mutualism.
• We assume a simple one on one interaction in a natural grassland ecosystem.

Concept / Approach:
Predation is an interaction where one organism (the predator) kills and eats another organism (the prey). Herbivory is a special case where the consumer eats plants but usually does not kill the entire plant immediately. A keystone species is one that has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem, not a type of interaction. Habitat destruction refers to physical damage to the environment, and mutualism is a beneficial relationship for both species. Since the lion kills and eats the zebra, this interaction is best described as predation.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the roles: the lion is the predator and the zebra is the prey.Step 2: Observe that the lion benefits by gaining food and energy, while the zebra is harmed and killed.Step 3: Recall the definition of predation: one organism kills and consumes another for food.Step 4: Confirm that the interaction is not plant based feeding (herbivory), not mutual benefit (mutualism), and not simply environmental damage.Step 5: Select Predation as the correct ecological term for this lion zebra interaction.

Verification / Alternative check:
Ecology texts frequently illustrate predation with examples like lions hunting zebras, wolves hunting deer, or hawks catching rabbits. These are standard case studies of predator prey dynamics, often used to explain population regulation and food chains. The consistent use of such examples in teaching materials confirms that a lion eating a zebra is a textbook case of predation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B: A keystone species is a concept applied to particular species and their influence, not to a single act of one animal eating another.Option C: Herbivory involves animals feeding on plants; a zebra eating grass would be herbivory, not a lion eating a zebra.Option D: Habitat destruction describes changes to the physical environment, such as deforestation, not a single feeding event.Option E: Mutualism is a relationship in which both species benefit, which is clearly not the case when a zebra is killed and eaten.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students confuse trophic roles (like keystone species or top predator) with specific interactions. Others might think any plant animal interaction is herbivory and any animal animal interaction is predation without checking definitions. To avoid these mistakes, always ask whether one organism is being killed and eaten: if yes, it is predation, and if the organism being eaten is a plant, the interaction is a specific form of predation called herbivory.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Predation.