Question

Paine (1966, 1974) determined that the sea star Pisaster

Select one:

a. decreased diversity in an intertidal community by consuming competitively subordinate taxa

b. decreased diversity in an intertidal community be eating all of the taxa

c. increased diversity in an intertidal community by consuming a dominant algal species

d. increased diversity in an intertidal community by consuming the competitively dominant blue mussel species

Answer 1

Paine indicated in thistheory that the predator species is important to keep the dominant prey species at a lower number, which if increases uncontrolabally can lead to decrease in ecological diversity.

If the predator species is there, the ecological diversity is maintained. In this case the predator species was the sea star and the prey was mussel.

So the correct answer is sea star Pisaster increased diversity in an intertidal community by consuming the competittively dominant blue mussel species.(d)