Biology SL
Biology SL
4
Chapters
553
Notes
Theme A - Unity & Diversity
Theme A - Unity & Diversity
Theme B - Form & Function
Theme B - Form & Function
Theme C - Interaction &  Interdependence
Theme C - Interaction & Interdependence
Theme D - Continuity & Change
Theme D - Continuity & Change
IB Resources
Theme D - Continuity & Change
Biology SL
Biology SL

Theme D - Continuity & Change

Unlocking Ecosystem Secrets: Keystone Species’ Role!

Word Count Emoji
503 words
Reading Time Emoji
3 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024

Table of content

Introduction - What's a Keystone Species? 🗝️

Imagine if your school had a fantastic football team, and there's that one MVP player who single-handedly changes the outcome of the game. That MVP is like the keystone species in an ecosystem—super important and the whole game changes if they're gone!

Definition

  • Keystone Species: A species whose activities have a huge impact on the entire ecosystem. It's like the "master key" that opens doors for other species to thrive. If it disappears, the ecosystem loses its balance and diversity.

Real-World Example

  • Think of bees! 🐝 They pollinate plants, helping them reproduce. No bees would mean fewer plants, which would affect herbivores and eventually the predators too.

History 101 - Robert Paine & His Sea Stars 🌊⭐

Ever heard of Robert Paine? No, he's not a rapper. He's the genius who coined the term "keystone species." He studied the ochre sea star (Pisaster ochraceus) and found out how critical they are to marine ecosystems.

Experiment Details

  • Location: Mukkaw Bay, Washington state
  • Method: Removed Pisaster sea stars from an 8x2 m area, left another area unchanged (control).
  • Observation
    • Control area = High diversity, lots of animal species and seaweeds.
    • Experimental area = Different species tried to take over, but eventually only one type of mollusc (Mytilus californianus) dominated.

Real-World Example

  • Think about a pizza with lots of toppings: pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, etc. Remove the cheese (the keystone ingredient) and suddenly it's not a pizza anymore! You'd just have bread with random toppings. Yikes!

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IB Resources
Theme D - Continuity & Change
Biology SL
Biology SL

Theme D - Continuity & Change

Unlocking Ecosystem Secrets: Keystone Species’ Role!

Word Count Emoji
503 words
Reading Time Emoji
3 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024

Table of content

Introduction - What's a Keystone Species? 🗝️

Imagine if your school had a fantastic football team, and there's that one MVP player who single-handedly changes the outcome of the game. That MVP is like the keystone species in an ecosystem—super important and the whole game changes if they're gone!

Definition

  • Keystone Species: A species whose activities have a huge impact on the entire ecosystem. It's like the "master key" that opens doors for other species to thrive. If it disappears, the ecosystem loses its balance and diversity.

Real-World Example

  • Think of bees! 🐝 They pollinate plants, helping them reproduce. No bees would mean fewer plants, which would affect herbivores and eventually the predators too.

History 101 - Robert Paine & His Sea Stars 🌊⭐

Ever heard of Robert Paine? No, he's not a rapper. He's the genius who coined the term "keystone species." He studied the ochre sea star (Pisaster ochraceus) and found out how critical they are to marine ecosystems.

Experiment Details

  • Location: Mukkaw Bay, Washington state
  • Method: Removed Pisaster sea stars from an 8x2 m area, left another area unchanged (control).
  • Observation
    • Control area = High diversity, lots of animal species and seaweeds.
    • Experimental area = Different species tried to take over, but eventually only one type of mollusc (Mytilus californianus) dominated.

Real-World Example

  • Think about a pizza with lots of toppings: pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, etc. Remove the cheese (the keystone ingredient) and suddenly it's not a pizza anymore! You'd just have bread with random toppings. Yikes!

Unlock the Full Content! File Is Locked Emoji

Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of Biology SL. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟