Keystone species

A species that plays a critical role in the health, maintenance, growth, or definition of an ecosystem.

• keystone

• invasive

• engineer

• predator

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Why are bees considered a keystone species?

• The honey they make supports the bear population

• They pollinate flowers that produce fruit which supports the ecosystem

• They sting when threatened

• They live in hives

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Why are some sharks considered a keystone species?

• Because they are a top predator

• They scare off smaller fish that may overgraze an area of sea grass

• They are tertiary consumers

• They are cartilaginous

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

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Which one of the following keystone examples play a vital role in the health of coastal kelp forests?

• starfish

• sea otters

• beavers

• wolves

• elephants

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Which one of the following keystone examples is a keystone predator found in the tidal pools of northwestern North America and was the species that launched Robert Paine’s keystone species concept?

• starfish

• sea otters

• beavers

• wolves

• elephants

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A life form that is very sensitive to environmental changes in its ecosystem. They can give us early-warning messages that a habitat is suffering.

• Indicator Species

• Flagship Species

• Predators

• Ecosystem Engineers

Based on the graph shown, how can you tell sea otters are a keystone species?

• as the sea otter population decreases, biodiversity increases
• as sea otter population increases, biodiversity increases
• changes in the sea otter population have little effect on biodiversity 
• the sea otter population dereases due to the presence of urchins

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Select all description/s of an ecological niche from the following options.

• A fox sleeps in a burrow

• A bear helps clear lichen off rocks with it's feet when fishing in a stream

• A monkey swings off branches to reach fruit

• Two different species of bird exist in the same air space without interacting

• Birds eat seeds, then disperse them further away

Two or more species that engage in mutually beneficial interactions.

• mutualists

• engineers

• invasives

• predators

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NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Which of the following would be the most likely effect, if there were a sudden increase in the cricket population?

• There would be a decrease in the small bird population.

• There would be a decrease in the grass/flowers population.

• There would be a decrease in the mice population.

• There would be an increase in the grass/flowers population.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1