Endangered Species: Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Population Estimate of Hawksbill Turtle: between 20,000 and 23,000 nesting females.
Why it's Endangered: The reason that Hawksbill turtles are endangered is because
humans like to hunt them for their shells, also know as bekko by the Japanese.
Keystone Species: One example of a keystone species is the sea otter. The sea
otter or Enhydra Lutris like to feed on many marine invertebrates, but they especially like to
feed on sea urchins. Sea urchins are herbivores who like to feed on the base of the kelp.
They will continue eating until the whole plant detaches from the bottom and floats away.
If there is an overpopulation of sea urchins, they will keep eating the kelp until the kelp
forest would possibly be converted into an urchin barren. Many humans like to hunt sea
otters for their pelts, so if the sea otters continue to be hunted, it might lead to increase in
population of urchin barrens, which would lead to a decrease of kelp forests.
Population Estimate of Hawksbill Turtle: between 20,000 and 23,000 nesting females.
Why it's Endangered: The reason that Hawksbill turtles are endangered is because
humans like to hunt them for their shells, also know as bekko by the Japanese.
Keystone Species: One example of a keystone species is the sea otter. The sea
otter or Enhydra Lutris like to feed on many marine invertebrates, but they especially like to
feed on sea urchins. Sea urchins are herbivores who like to feed on the base of the kelp.
They will continue eating until the whole plant detaches from the bottom and floats away.
If there is an overpopulation of sea urchins, they will keep eating the kelp until the kelp
forest would possibly be converted into an urchin barren. Many humans like to hunt sea
otters for their pelts, so if the sea otters continue to be hunted, it might lead to increase in
population of urchin barrens, which would lead to a decrease of kelp forests.
Symbiotic Relationships:
Spider Crab & Algae - The spider crab, a crab with spider-like appendages on either side of the body, buries itself in algae for camouflage and protection. This relationship is called commensalism because the spider crab benefits and the algae is unaffected by the relationship. Clownfish & Anemone - This relationship is called mutualism because both benefit. The clownfish takes shelter in the anemone and the anemone is also protected by the clownish from attacking potentially deadly fish like the electric eel. |
Density Dependent Limiting Factors:
Density Independent Limiting Factors:
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Abiotic Factors:
Biotic Factors:
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