Remove this species and the community structure changes radically. Apex predators and keystone species are not necessarily the same. The biodiversity of a habitat nearly always falls upon them as a critical component of the food chain. Bio 201 Final Chapter 5 . While a lot of keystone species are top predators, not all keystone species are; they … They are called keystone predators, and they tend to be susceptible to both natural and human disturbance. In ecology, keystone species, is a species that has a disproportionately large effect on the communities in which it occurs. However, almost all examples of keystone species are animals that have a huge influence on food webs. View Flashcards . b) are always found at the top of the food chain. Are … They are nearly always a critical component of the local food web. a. are very important for the survival of other members of their community b. populations that can be removed from a community with little impact c. are always the most prevalent species in their community d. are always at the top of the food chain, the keystone position 12. 12 important examples of keystone species. For every 10 pounds of food an animal consumes, roughly one pound can become body mass, increasing toxin concentrations nearly 10 times at each food-chain level. Without its keystone species, ecosystems would look very different. In fact, we're nowhere near the top. I'm not so sure that the theory of keystone species really works in the real world. Here’s a closer look at keystone species up and down the food chain and across the globe. Question: KEYSTONE SPECIES Choose The Correct Statement 1. Students may ask whether keystone species are always apex predators. The biodiversity of a habitat nearly always falls upon them as a critical component of the food chain. 12 important examples of keystone species. Keystone species d. are vital to the soil balance of an entire ecosystem. SCI115 Wk.10.docx - Why do you think that many keystone species are predators at the top of the food chain in their respective ecosystems Keystone Ecologist Robert Paine, who coined the term “keystone species” in the 1960s, observed the importance of such species in a study of starfish along … Any organism, from plants to fungi, may be a keystone species; they are not always the largest or most abundant species in an ecosystem. b. are always found at the top of the food chain. Keystone species often dominate the attention of ecologists and policy-makers, who develop specific strategies for their protection, while media repeatedly report on their conservation status. Keystone species often dominate the attention of ecologists and policy-makers, who develop specific strategies for their protection, while media repeatedly report on their conservation status.