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 a food web, a keystone species is one that has a disproportionately large impact on its environment and is crucial for maintaining the structure of the ecosystem. Based on the options provided and the roles of the animals in the food web you described, the most likely keystone species would be the frog.

Frogs, being both predators of first-level consumers (like insects) and prey for second-level consumers (like ringtails or eagles), have an important role in controlling insect populations and serving as a food source for higher trophic levels. This dual role can significantly influence the dynamics of the ecosystem.

Thus, the answer is frog.