Robert Paine conducted a study in which he removed sea stars, which prey mainly on mussels, from experimental plots in a rocky intertidal zone. With sea stars missing, mussels took over the plots, crowding out seven other species of invertebrates. In this community, sea stars function as ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The removal of sea stars resulted in a significant change in the community structure, as mussels crowded out several other species. This shows that the sea stars have a critical role in regulating the mussel population, and hence their removal had a cascading effect on the ecosystem. As such, the sea stars can be categorized as a keystone species.

Robert Paine Conducted a Study in Which He Removed Sea