Animal Diversity 7th Edition

Published by McGraw-Hill Education
ISBN 10: 0073524255
ISBN 13: 978-0-07352-425-2

Chapter 2 - Review Questions - Page 61: 13

Answer

When a keystone species is removed from a community, it can cause the extinction of other species. This extinction happens because the keystone species reduces competition, allowing more species to coexist on a resource, thereby maintaining diversity. When the keystone species is gone, the resource competition goes up, and the species that can't compete as effectively will go extinct.

Work Step by Step

Keystone species helps maintain their ecological community, and if removed can cause incredible change.
Update this answer!

You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this answer.

Update this answer

After you claim an answer you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. An editor will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback.