Question

In the late 1960s, robert paine conducted landmark studies on diversity in the rocky intertidal zone comparing the species diversity in control plots with diversity in experimental plots from which he removed the top predator, sea stars. after 5 years, 15 species of intertidal invertebrates lived in the control plots, while the experimental plots were dominated by only two species, one mussel and one barnacle. why did species diversity most likely remain high in the presence of a predator?

Answer 1

The absence of the predator in the experimental plots led to a rise in population of the two species hence suppressing the other species since they were the prey of the Sea stars. But when the sea stars were present, they maintained a balance in the species diversity by feeding on Mussel and Barnacle species.