According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Sandhill communities occur only in north and central Florida in areas of gently rolling terrain on deep, well-drained, mostly yellow, sterile lands. The picture below shows an example of a gopher tortoise entering one of their burrows that are found in Sandhill communities throughout Florida. Gopher tortoises are a “keystone species” for Sandhill communities. A “keystone species” is a species that has a disproportionately large impact on the environment in which it resides, in relation to the population of the organism. The burrows they create are important because they provide protection from extreme temperatures and predators for many other species. These species include, the Florida pine snake, wolf spider, quail, southern toad, and the Florida mouse.

What type of relationship exists between the gopher tortoise and the Florida pine snake?

Commensalism

Mutualism

Parasitism

Predation