Quiz Only: Otters to the Rescue!

What role do sea otters play in their ecosystem?

• Herbivores

• Primary predators

• Keystone species

• Scavengers

What happens to kelp forests when there are no sea otters?

• Water pollution decreases

• Kelp grows excessively

• More fish appear

• Urchins eat the kelp

What do sea otters eat that helps protect kelp forests?

• Plankton

• Crabs

• Fish

• Sea urchins

Why were sea otters nearly driven to extinction?

• Ocean pollution

• Hunting for their fur

• Climate change

• Overfishing

What is a possible reason for the disappearance of kelp forests along the California coast?

• Decreased salinity

• Global warming

• Oil spills

• Sea urchin overpopulation

How are sea otters helping other marine species?

• By providing food

• By controlling sea urchin populations

• By eating harmful algae

• By cleaning the water

What did the study released by the Monterey Bay Aquarium reveal about sea otters?

• They are solitary animals

• They prefer colder waters

• They are decreasing in number

• They help in kelp growth

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.9

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

What effect do sea otters have on kelp forests?

• They help them grow

• They turn them into breeding grounds

• They have no effect

• They destroy them

What is the primary diet of sea otters that benefits kelp forests?

• Small fish

• Shrimp

• Sea urchins

• Seaweed

What makes kelp forests important ecosystems?

• They produce oxygen

• They provide habitat for diverse marine life

• They are a tourist attraction

• They regulate ocean temperature