What specialized ecological role does the fig tree fulfill in tropical rainforests?
Answer
Providing consistent year-round fruit production, feeding over 1,200 species.
The fig tree is noted as a keystone mutualist because its year-round fruit production feeds over 1,200 types of birds, bats, and other species consistently, making it a critical lifeline when other food sources are scarce.
Related Questions
What architectural element does the term "keystone species" reference?Who formally described the concept of keystone species and in what year?In Robert Paine's experiment, what happened when the ochre starfish (*Pisaster ochraceus*) was removed?What ecological term describes the regulation of prey populations by apex predators preventing competitive dominance?What immediate effect resulted from the reintroduction of grey wolves in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem?Which pair of organisms are specifically cited as examples of "Habitat Architects" or ecosystem engineers?What far-reaching ecological subsidy do decomposing Pacific salmon carcasses provide to coastal forests?What is the vital lesson regarding the status of a keystone species identified by ecologists?How does a keystone species differ fundamentally from a foundation species?What specialized ecological role does the fig tree fulfill in tropical rainforests?Why is focusing conservation efforts on keystone species considered the highest return on investment for ecosystem health?What term describes the jaguar because protecting its habitat safeguards numerous dependent plant and prey species?