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Question

The plants are eaten by consumers at the first level, such as rat, grasshopper, frog, squirrel, whiptail, and deer. The consumers at the second level, such as ringtail, eagle, and pine marten eat the consumers at the first level. The consumers at the third level, such as wolf, mountain lion, and cat eat the consumers at the second level. Some of the consumers at the first level are also eaten by consumers at the third level.



Which one of the following animals is most likely to be a keystone species, based on the food web provided?

(1 point)
Responses

frog
frog

grasshopper
grasshopper

Mouse
Mouse

deer
deer
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Answer 1

Based on the information provided about the food web, the animal that is most likely to be a keystone species would be the frog.

Keystone species play a crucial role in maintaining the structure of a community. Frogs, as consumers at the first level, likely serve as both prey and predators in their ecological niche, helping to regulate both plant populations and the populations of insects and smaller vertebrates. The other options (grasshopper, mouse, and deer) do not play as significant a role in the ecological balance compared to frogs, which contribute to both predator and prey dynamics.