The grizzly bear feeds on salmon that migrate upriver from the ocean during the spawning season. These fish are rich in carbon,
nitrogen, and sulfur. The bears leave half-eaten fish and nutrient-rich feces on the forest floor. Due to its role in this ecosystem, the grizzly bear would be classified as a A) dominant species. B) keystone species. C) foundation species. D) endangered species.
Keystone species are important, or key, to the survival of an ecosystem. The description of the grizzly bear is not just one that is a consumer. While the grizzly bear eats the salmon during the salmon run it also provides rich nutrients for the forest floor. This description of the grizzly bear leaving half-eaten salmon and nutrient-rich fish demonstrates it's role in the survival of the plant life on the forest floor.
