Question

What is a keystone species?

• A. A species which makes up only a small proportion of the total biomass of a community, yet has a huge impact on the community's organization and survival.
• B. A common species that has plenty of biomass, yet has a fairly low impact on the community's organization.
• C. A rare species that has minimal impact on the biomass and on other species in the community.
• D. A dominant species that constitutes a large proportion of the biomass and which affects many other species.

Answer 1

The correct option is A A species which makes up only a small proportion of the total biomass of a community, yet has a huge impact on the community's organization and survival.

A keystone species is often a dominant predator whose removal allows a prey population to explode and often decreases overall diversity. Other kinds of keystone species are those, such as coral or beavers, that significantly alter the habitat around them and thus affect large numbers of other organisms.