An aquatic food web consists of phytoplankton → krill → seals → sharks. The removal of which component is MOST LIKELY to cause an immediate impact on the food web?

Removing the Phytoplankton would cause an impact in the food web as its a keystone species without it the krill wouldn't survive meaning that anything that eats the krill or anything thing that eats what eats the krill would all die out

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StaceeLichtenstein StaceeLichtenstein · Answer 2 · 2019-03-20T09:25:24+01:00

Answer: The correct answer is-

phytoplankton .

In the given food chain of aquatic ecosystem, Phytoplanktons occupy the first trophic level ( as they form the base of the food chain) and they are called producers ( synthesize their own food using carbon dioxide and water in the presence of sunlight).

The energy is then transferred to the subsequent trophic levels from phytoplanktons to consumers ( krill, seals, and sharks).

If phytoplanktons are removed from the food chain, there will be no food available for krill and they will start to decline, which will eventually cause the decline in the subsequent trophic levels ( that is seals and shark).

Thus, phytoplanktons is the right answer.