wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Keystone Species 101

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 40mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of the following answer choices best fits the definition of a keystone species? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

any organism that is the glue that holds a habitat together

b)

plants that help spread the energy of the sun

c)

animals that are affected by other organisms and their activity

d)

animals that have no significant contributions to an ecosystem

2.

Which of the following answer choices best fits the definition of a keystone predator? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

impact other predators as well as other animal and plant species farther down the food chain

b)

serve as a critical food source for predator populations

c)

create, modify, or maintain the landscape around them

d)

two or more species that engage in reciprocally vital interactions

e)

producers that provide a critical source of food and/or shelter for other species

3.

Which of the following answer choices best fits the definition of a keystone prey? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

impact other predators as well as other animal and plant species farther down the food chain

b)

serve as a critical food source for predator populations

c)

create, modify, or maintain the landscape around them

d)

two or more species that engage in reciprocally vital interactions

e)

producers that provide a critical source of food and/or shelter for other species

4.

Which of the following answer choices best fits the definition of a ecosystem engineer? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

impact other predators as well as other animal and plant species farther down the food chain

b)

serve as a critical food source for predator populations

c)

create, modify, or maintain the landscape around them

d)

two or more species that engage in reciprocally vital interactions

e)

producers that provide a critical source of food and/or shelter for other species

5.

Which of the following answer choices best fits the definition of a mutualist? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

impact other predators as well as other animal and plant species farther down the food chain

b)

serve as a critical food source for predator populations

c)

create, modify, or maintain the landscape around them

d)

two or more species that engage in reciprocally vital interactions

e)

producers that provide a critical source of food and/or shelter for other species

6.

Which of the following answer choices best fits the definition of a keystone plants? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

impact other predators as well as other animal and plant species farther down the food chain

b)

serve as a critical food source for predator populations

c)

create, modify, or maintain the landscape around them

d)

two or more species that engage in reciprocally vital interactions

e)

producers that provide a critical source of food and/or shelter for other species

7.

Which one of the following is not a broad cateogory keystone species? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

generalist

b)

keystone prey

c)

keystone predator

d)

keystone plant

e)

mutualist

8.

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? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

starfish

b)

sea otters

c)

beavers

d)

wolves

e)

elephants

9.

Which one of the following keystone examples play a vital role in the health of coastal kelp forests? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

starfish

b)

sea otters

c)

beavers

d)

wolves

e)

elephants

10.

Which one of the following keystone examples are ecosystem engineers that dramatically reshape the physical environment around them? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

prairie dogs

b)

bees

c)

beavers

d)

wolves

e)

elephants

11.

Which one of the following keystone examples are a top predator whose presence has a ripple effect on the rest of its ecosystem especially keeping the elk populations in check? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

prairie dogs

b)

bees

c)

beavers

d)

wolves

e)

elephants

12.

Which one of the following keystone examples consume as much as 300 pounds of vegetation per day? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

prairie dogs

b)

bees

c)

beavers

d)

wolves

e)

elephants

13.

Which one of the following keystone examples are a keystone species that supports some 130-plus other species in the grasslands of central and western North America? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

prairie dogs

b)

bees

c)

beavers

d)

wolves

e)

elephants

14.

Which one of the following keystone examples that support the reproduction of as much as 90 percent of the world’s flowering plants? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

prairie dogs

b)

bees

c)

beavers

d)

wolves

e)

elephants

15.

Which one of the following ecosystems / biomes is home to a vital keystone prey called Krill? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

ocean ecosystem

b)

desert biome

c)

taiga biome

d)

tundra biome

e)

tropical rainforest

16.

Which one of the following ecosystems / biomes is home to a vital keystone species called coral, which creates a habitat to support more than 300 invertebrates? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

ocean ecosystem

b)

desert biome

c)

taiga biome

d)

tundra biome

e)

tropical rainforest

17.

Which one of the following ecosystems / biomes is home to a vital keystone species called the tortoise of the Mojave, which burrows and protects other animals? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

ocean ecosystem

b)

desert biome

c)

taiga biome

d)

tundra biome

e)

tropical rainforest

18.

Which one of the following ecosystems / biomes is home to a vital keystone species called the snowshoe hare, which supports the dying Canadian lynx? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

ocean ecosystem

b)

desert biome

c)

taiga biome

d)

tundra biome

e)

tropical rainforest

19.

Which one of the following ecosystems / biomes is home to a vital keystone species called the lemming, which feeds predators like the arctic fox? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

ocean ecosystem

b)

desert biome

c)

taiga biome

d)

tundra biome

e)

tropical rainforest

20.

Which one of the following ecosystems / biomes is home to a vital keystone species called fig trees, which supports and feeds many organisms of its biome? (From Worksheet: Keystone Species 101)

a)

ocean ecosystem

b)

desert biome

c)

taiga biome

d)

tundra biome

e)

tropical rainforest