What two organisms from the videos would be described as keystone species, and why?

Discussion: Ecological interactions in a kelp forest
1
1 unread reply.
1
1 reply.
Kelp forests are an iconic part of our local coastal ecosystems, but are often overlooked since this is a forest that you can’t easily visit. In this discussion, you’ll learn a bit about our local kelp forests, and use them as a case study to better understand some of the concepts and terms from chapter 19 (so, this discussion will be best completed after getting some background from the Ch19 lecture material first!).
To prepare for this discussion, watch the following short videos:
The ~3-min video, “Kelps Urchin-T (Urgent) Problem”, produced by the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences
The <4 min video, “Smashing Urchins for Kelp”, produced by Hakai Magazine
Part 1
After watching the videos linked above, answer the following in your discussion post:
Have you had any exposure to kelp forests before? Please share
What organism from the videos would be described as a foundation species, and why?
What two organisms from the videos would be described as keystone species, and why?
Have you ever eaten uni (sea urchin eggs)? If yes, what did you think? If no, have these videos inspired you to consider trying it?
What is one thing that surprised you, or one question you have after learning about these ecological interactions in kelp forests?
Part 2
Reply to at least one classmate to build connections and help improve one another’s understanding.