The sudden loss of a ________ would necessarily cause the loss of most or all of a food web.
A) producer
B) secondary consumer
C) mutualistic species
D) keystone species

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A keystone species is one whose presence and role within an ecosystem has a disproportionate effect on other species in the community, meaning that their sudden loss would have a cascading effect throughout the food web. Their absence would disrupt the balance of the ecosystem, leading to the potential collapse of the food web. The loss of a producer or secondary consumer may have significant impacts on the ecosystem, but it may not necessarily cause the loss of the entire food web. Mutualistic species may have important roles within the ecosystem, but their loss would not necessarily cause the loss of the food web.

The Sudden Loss of a ________ Would Necessarily Cause the Loss