Keystone Species

Keystone Species

• Species that has a big effect on its environment
• Without species, it would make ecosystem dramatically different or no longer exists

Sea Stars prey on sea urchins, mussels, barnacles, and other shellfish

What happens when the predator is removed?

Research

• Zoology Professor Robert T. Paine
• Tatoosh Island in Washington
• Sea Star removed from ecosystem made a HUGE impact

What Happened??

• On your index card, explain what you think happened at Tatoosh Island.
• Use the food chain and vocabulary term to explain how the sea stars affected other organisms.