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Compare the roles of a keystone species and a foundation species. Discuss the impact of each species in a community. If a disaster occurred, would it be more destructive for the ecosystem to lose the foundation species or a keystone species? Justify your answer.

Answer :

Final answer:

A foundation species is the base of a community, while a keystone species maintains biodiversity. Losing the foundation species would disrupt the entire ecosystem, while losing a keystone species would cause a shift in structure and reduce biodiversity.

Explanation:

A foundation species is considered the "base" or "bedrock" of a community, having the greatest influence on its overall structure. They are usually primary producers, such as kelp, and form the basis of a community. On the other hand, a keystone species is one whose presence is key to maintaining biodiversity within an ecosystem and upholding its structure. For example, the intertidal sea star helps regulate the populations of mussels and other prey, preventing their overgrowth and altering the species composition.



If a disaster occurred and either the foundation species or the keystone species were lost, the impact would depend on which species was lost. If the foundation species were lost, it would disrupt the energy flow and have a cascading effect on the entire community, leading to the collapse of the ecosystem. However, if a keystone species were lost, it would cause a significant shift in the community structure and reduce biodiversity, but the ecosystem may still be able to survive.

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