Why Do Sea Otters Exist

There are many scenarios that could occur if sea otters disappeared in the ecosystems where they currently exist. Sea otters are considered a keystone species in these ecosystems, so the entire eco-system could be altered drastically and one can expect multiple species to be negatively affected which may diminish diversity.

To start with, the most likely immediate effect would be the top down impact discussed above. Free from predators, the sea urchin population would explode (assuming that a new predator of sea urchins does not appear to fill the otter’s niche). Without a predator to restrain sea urchin numbers, the kelp forests would collapse. In turn, once the kelp forests had been consumed, the sea urchin population would collapse from starvation. …show more content…
The collapse of kelp at the first trophic level would cause pressure and effects on many species at the higher trophic levels. We can predict that any species that needs kelp for habitat or food could be affected and in turn this would affect linkages throughout the system. For example, certain fish species will be affected by the loss of the kelp forest, and this will impact on the species that feed on those fish. The consequences for linked species could range from extinction to population explosions, depending on whether the species are prey or consumers. The effects will not only be on one ecosystem but affect nearby ecosystems because of the links. For example, if the kelp located in the coastal eco-system was providing nesting sites for fish species that are normally part of the open ocean ecosystem, then the loss of those nesting sites will ultimately affect the food web in the open