Which of the following scientific questions would be most helpful in determining if the Golden langur is a keystone species in the community in which it lives?

Q. Which of the following scientific questions would be most helpful in determining if the Golden langur is a keystone species in the community in which it lives?

[A] Is total species diversity lower in areas where Golden langur have been removed compared to areas where golden langurs are present?

[B] Are Golden langurs more abundant than other animals in the communities they inhabit?

[C] If all of the Golden langurs in a certain community are removed, does the total number of remaining organisms in the community decrease?

[D] All of the above

Answer: A

Notes:

keystone species help maintain species diversity in their ecosystems, so one can expect species diversity to be lower in areas where a keystone species has been removed. So, investigating whether species diversity is lower in areas where Golden langurs have been removed could help determine whether they are a keystone species.

Keystone species play a central role in maintaining species diversity in their communities, but they are not necessarily more abundant than other species. Therefore, Statement b is wrong.

Keystone species play a central role in maintaining species diversity, not organism number, in their communities. So, statement c is wrong.

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