High School

How are wildebeest considered a keystone species, and what is their connection to fires and trees?

Answer :

Final answer:

Wildebeest serve as a keystone species in their ecosystem, helping to maintain biodiversity by dispersing seeds and providing food for predators. Similarly, events like fires can initiate a secondary succession process, eventually developing a balanced, diversified ecosystem.

Explanation:

Wildebeest, like wolves in the Yellowstone National Park, are keystone species in their ecosystems. In their environment, wildebeests play a central role in assisting the maintenance of biodiversity. Their migrating behavior helps disperse seeds, contributing to plant diversity and enhancing soil fertility. They also serve as a core food source for many predators, thus maintaining a balanced food web in their ecosystems.

In relation to the concept of fires and trees, let's consider the process called secondary succession. After a fire, the vegetation previously dominated by tall trees changes drastically. The first plants to regrow are usually annual plants and grasses, then shrubs and small trees emerge over many years. This progression eventually reaches a stable climax community that resembles the ecosystem before the fire, contributing to the ecosystem's diversity balance.

Overall, both wildebeest as a keystone species and events like fire illustrate diverse interactions within nature that together build and maintain the structure of an ecosystem and its biodiversity.

Learn more about Keystone Species here:

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