Keystone Predator

Question 1

What are tidal pools?

Answer 1

rocky intertidal zone occupied by both permanent and transient ocean life

Question 2

What is community structure?

Answer 2

composition and relative abundance of the species occupying a particular space at a particular time

Question 3

What are the primary producers in Tatoosh Island community?

Answer 3

coral weed, nori, black pine

Question 4

What are types consumers in Tatoosh Island community?

Answer 4

• crustaceans
• mollusks
• starfish

Question 5

What crustaceans are in Tatoosh Island community?

Answer 5

acorn barnacles and gooseneck barnacles

Question 6

What mollusks are in Tatoosh Island community?

Answer 6

mussels, chiton, whelk

Question 7

Which in the community are sessile?

Answer 7

coral weed, nori, black pine, acorn and gooseneck barnacles, and mussels

Question 8

What kind of animal is a starfish?

Answer 8

echinoderm

Question 9

What do whelks feed on?

Answer 9

acorn and gooseneck barnacles

Question 10

What do starfish feed on?

Answer 10

mussels, gooseneck barnacles, and chiton

Question 11

What is competitive dominance?

Answer 11

all factors being equal, species that have similar niches will compete

Question 12

What is dominance rank of the sessile producers?

Answer 12

nori -> black pine -> coral weed

Question 13

What is the dominance rank of sessile predators?

Answer 13

acorn barnacles -> gooseneck barnacles -> mussels

Question 14

What is the competitive dominance of mobile predators

Answer 14

starfish are top because nothing eats starfish

Question 15

What do chiton feed on?

Answer 15

coral weed, black pine, and nori seaweeds

Question 16

What is a dominant species?

Answer 16

the most abundant species in a
community

Question 17

What is a keystone species?

Answer 17

• the most important species in terms of determining community structure.
• Keystone species may be low in abundance or biomass

Question 18

How can predation directly affect species?

Answer 18

reduce a species abundance by removing individuals of that species

Question 19

How can predation indirectly affect?

Answer 19

altering competitive relationships or food resources

Question 20

When can removal of keystone species have irreversible effects?

Answer 20

• widespread extinction event
• permanent change in environment
• introduction of an invasive exotic species

Question 21

What invasive species affected the community?

Answer 21

european green crab

Question 22

What effect did european green crab have?

Answer 22

• directly reduce barnacles, mussels, chiton and whelk
• indirectly reduce starfish (by eating their prey)
• indirectly increase coral weed