Answer: Physically creating, modifying, or maintaining habitat (altering abiotic conditions) for other organisms (e.g., beavers, earthworms, elephants).
- A By consuming prey organisms more efficiently than other species in the same habitat, a predation-based description rather than one involving physical habitat modification
- B Physically creating, modifying, or maintaining habitat (altering abiotic conditions) for other organisms (e.g., beavers, earthworms, elephants)
- C By simply possessing the single largest body biomass within their ecosystem, a biomass-based description unrelated to physically altering habitat structure
- D By breaking down and decomposing dead organic matter faster than other decomposers, a decomposition-based description unrelated to physically modifying habitat structure
Correct answer: B. Physically creating, modifying, or maintaining habitat (altering abiotic conditions) for other organisms (e.g., beavers, earthworms, elephants)
Explanation: Ecosystem engineers (Jones et al.): organisms that modify physical habitat. Beavers create ponds (dam rivers); elephants open up forests; earthworms modify soil structure. Effects ripple through ecosystems.
Energy pyramid showing a simple food chain (producer to herbivore to carnivore) with energy decreasing roughly tenfold at each trophic level.
Concept context
Ecosystems, food chains, energy flow, nutrient cycles, biodiversity, and conservation.