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Question

Question
Which is most likely a keystone species?(1 point)
Responses

wolves in Yellowstone National Park, which eat elk, who graze on willows, on which beavers depend to build their dams
wolves in Yellowstone National Park, which eat elk, who graze on willows, on which beavers depend to build their dams

feral cats, which hunt a wide variety of animals, including birds, lizards, rodents, and insects
feral cats, which hunt a wide variety of animals, including birds, lizards, rodents, and insects

deer, which eat a variety of plants, including shrubs and young trees, and are consumed by large predators like mountain lions, wolves, and bears
deer, which eat a variety of plants, including shrubs and young trees, and are consumed by large predators like mountain lions, wolves, and bears

cane toads in Australia, which were introduced to eat cane beetles, but eat anything and survive in various habitats
cane toads in Australia, which were introduced to eat cane beetles, but eat anything and survive in various habitats
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Answer 1

The most likely keystone species in the options provided is wolves in Yellowstone National Park, which eat elk, who graze on willows, on which beavers depend to build their dams.

Keystone species are those that have a disproportionately large effect on their environment relative to their abundance. Wolves play a critical role in controlling the population of elk, which in turn affects the vegetation in the ecosystem. This cascading effect supports other species in the ecosystem, making wolves a classic example of a keystone species.