Discuss the interrelationship between sea otters, sea urchins, and kelp in the Pacific Ocean
What will be an ideal response?
At one time sea otters, sea urchins, and kelp lived as part of balanced ecosystem. The base of the food chain is kelp, a large rooted marine alga. Kelp is fed upon by sea urchins and the sea urchins are a favorite food of sea otters. When sea otters are present, they feed on sea urchins, keeping their numbers down allowing luxuriant kelp forests to thrive. But, in the absence of sea otters, the sea urchin population explodes. Sea urchins eat kelp, so kelp beds were destroyed as the sea urchin population expanded. This was devastating for the ecosystem because kelp is habitat for many fish and invertebrates. Without kelp, the biodiversity and stability of the ecosystem was reduced significantly. This story illustrates the interrelationship of organisms within ecosystems and establishes sea otters as a prime example of a keystone species.
You might also like to view...
Discuss the potential ramifications of the United States' restricting the importation of Chinese goods in order to put pressure on the Chinese government for human-rights reforms?
What will be an ideal response?
Which of the below is studied under the discipline of historical geology but not physical geology?
a. physical aspects of Earth materials b. how the Earth works as a whole c. processes that operate on the Earth's surface d. biological changes overtime e. processes that operate below the Earth's surface d. biological changes overtime
How would the force and stress on the wooden pillar in this figure change if the stone weight was the same size but the wooden pillar was narrower?
A) The amount of force and amount of stress would be unchanged.
B) The amount of force and the amount of stress would both increase.
C) The amount of force and the amount of stress would both decrease.
D) The force would remain the same, but the amount of stress would increase.
E) The force would remain the same, but the amount of stress would decrease.
The difference between the dry adiabatic rate and the moist adiabatic rate is on account of
A) altitudinal temperature differences. B) less atmospheric pressure. C) the specific heat of water. D) the latent heat of condensation.