Question

1. what do you notice about the peak of the predator as compared to the peak of the prey?

your answer: the predator peak comes after the prey peak and is usually smaller because predators rely on prey to survive and reproduce.

keystone species
predation can have far - reaching effects on biological communities. a starfish is the top predator in tidepool communities in the pacific northwest. the community also includes mollusks, barnacles and other invertebrates. in a classical experiment involving starfish, an investigator removed the starfish from a tide pool. soon, barnacles and mussels began to occupy all available space in the tidepool, out - competing other species. species diversity (number of different species) in the tidepool dropped by over 50%. the starfish was a keystone predator, keeping the strongest predators in check. although it was a predator, it helped to maintain a greater number of species in the community. its beneficial impact on species that were weak competitors is an example of an indirect effect. (umich)

1. a keystone predator is one that

highlight the correct answer in yellow
a. keep other predators in check c. hunts all the prey
b. opens the locks in the ocean d. gets old and dies the slowest

1. from the reading about keystone species, what role does predation play in maintaining the number of different species in an ecosystem (biodiversity)?

your answer:

yellowstone elk and wolf population data
(chart with 5/6, some numbers 22000, 20000)

Explanation:

Question 14

The text says a keystone predator (starfish) keeps the strongest predators in check. Option A matches this. B is irrelevant, C is incorrect (it doesn't hunt all prey), D is unrelated.

From the reading, predation by a keystone predator (like starfish) controls dominant competitors, allowing weaker species to survive. This maintains species diversity (biodiversity) by preventing one or a few species from dominating.

Answer:

A. Keep other predators in check

Question 15