In a certain ecosystem, the number of cheetahs is lower as compared to their prey, gazelles. if the cheetahs disappeared from this ecosystem, then the number of gazelles will increase. this will disrupt the ecosystem of the forest because the gazelles will compete for limited food resources and possibly exhaust them. in this scenario, what type of species are cheetahs? pioneer seral climax keystone

The correct answer is option D which is keystone.

Keystone is the important specie in the food chain, if this specie is removed from the food chain the food will be disturbed and ruining the niche of other species which are dependent on the keystone.

Here tigers are the keystone prey. Their removal causes disruption in the population of their predator as well as the whole food chain.

The increase in the population of gazelles and as a result of this decrease in resources for gazelle species and disruption in other species in food chain indicates that tigers are keystones.

in 1859, charles darwin set out his theory of evolution by natural selection as an explanation for adaptation and speciation. he defined natural selection as the "principle by which each slight variation [of a trait], if useful, is preserved".