bottttttttUse the image to answer the question below.
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
grasshopper
grasshopper
deer
deer
frog
frog
Mouse
1 answer
The wolf is most likely to be a keystone species in this food web. As a consumer at the third level, the wolf plays a crucial role in controlling the populations of the consumers at the second and first levels, which helps maintain the balance of the ecosystem.