In Bob Paine’s (1960) classic study of the sea star called Pisaster , he removed
ID: 215610 • Letter: I
Question
In Bob Paine’s (1960) classic study of the sea star called Pisaster, he removed the species from the rocky intertidal invertebrate community. With this experiment, Paine demonstrated that:
a. A new predator evolved to replace the removed predator, Pisaster.
b. Natural selection resulted in reduced defensive traits of the prey in the absence of predatory Pisaster.
c. Because Pisaster mainly consumed a dominant competitor (mussels), removal of Pisaster decreased the diversity of the rest of the invertebrate prey community.
d. The prey, which were mainly, mussels (bivalves) demonstrated an ecological trade-off between predator avoidance and fecundity.
e. Pisaster was a foundation species in the community.
Explanation / Answer
D. Mussels are a foundational species that provide a three dimentional habitat for over 300 species which are inhabitaing mussel beds, thus removing sea star significantly increase community wide diversity.
Most exologists supports paine's statement that the predators increase diversity by interfering with the competition.