Use the image to answer the question below.

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

deer
deer

Mouse
Mouse

grasshopper

Answer 1

In the context of a food web, a keystone species is one that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance. Among the options provided—frog, deer, mouse, and grasshopper—the frog is often considered to be a keystone species in many ecosystems. Frogs can serve as both prey and predator, helping to control insect populations (such as grasshoppers) while also supporting higher-level consumers (like snakes and birds).

Therefore, the most likely keystone species based on the food web provided is:

frog