Sea otters along the Pacific coast prey heavily on sea urchins, keeping urchin populations in check. Where otters have been hunted to local extinction, urchin populations exploded, devouring kelp forests and leaving barren undersea landscapes called urchin barrens. When otters return, kelp forests gradually regenerate, supporting fish, invertebrates, and seabirds.
Based on the passage, which inference is most strongly supported?
- A
Kelp forests can sustain themselves without any predators in the system
- B
Hunting sea urchins directly is the best way to protect kelp
- Ccheck_circle
Sea otters function as a keystone species whose presence shapes broader community structure
- D
Sea urchins are the only herbivores in kelp forest ecosystems
Explanation
Otters' indirect but transformative effect on the ecosystem supports the keystone description. A is unsupported; C contradicts the passage; D ignores the otter's described role.