An intertidal species of sea star helps to maintain the diversity of the intertidal region by controlling the mussel population. Without the sea star, the mussel population would crowd out other species and take over their territory. The sea star could be called a(n) ____.
A) indicator species
B) keystone species
C) foundation species
D) aggressive species
E) repressor species

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A keystone species has a disproportionately large effect on its environment compared to its abundance, and removing it would cause significant changes to the ecosystem. In this case, the sea star is a keystone species because it controls the mussel population, which in turn affects the diversity of the intertidal region. Indicator species are used to indicate environmental conditions or health, foundation species form the base of an ecosystem, aggressive species are not a recognized ecological term, and repressor species is not a commonly used ecological term.

An Intertidal Species of Sea Star Helps to Maintain the Diversity