ipl-logo

Keystone Species And Their Impact On Ecological Communities

547 Words3 Pages

Keystone species are essential elements of ecological communities and have a disproportionate impact on the composition and operation of ecosystems. A keystone species is one that, in relation to its abundance, has an overpowering effect on its surrounding ecosystem. They influence many other organisms in an environment and help to decide the types and quantities of different other species in the community, all of which are essential to sustaining the foundation of an ecological community. The ecology would change significantly or vanish altogether if keystone species were absent. Keystone species, despite their significance, are frequently ignored in conservation efforts, which contributes to their decline and possible ecological effects. …show more content…

Ecosystem stability, functionality, and maintenance depend heavily on keystone species. They frequently have a major influence on the populations, distributions, and behaviours of other species in the ecosystem. In the 1960s, ecologist Robert Paine originally proposed the idea of keystone species. In his research on the intertidal ecology of Washington State, Paine observed that both the number and diversity of different species in the natural environment were significantly impacted by the existence of a specific kind of starfish. Other species were able to thrive because the starfish preyed on specific kinds of mussel. Keystone species might be herbivores, mutualists, or even predators. Additionally, they can be found in a range of ecosystems, such as terrestrial, aquatic, and marine habitats. A keystone species can be any type of organism, including fungi and plants; they are not usually the largest or most common species in an ecosystem. Animals that significantly affect food webs, however, make up the majority of examples of keystone species. The impact these creatures have on food webs varies depending on the

Show More
Related
334 Words | 2 Pages

Is this conservation? According to the video, nowadays Texas has a higher exotic wildlife than any other place on Earth. Charly Seale is the executive director of the Exotic Wildlife Association in Texas. He is known for having more than 120 different species from Asia, Africa, and Europe in his ranch.

Read More
711 Words | 3 Pages

Despite the fact that many articles today state an increase of endangered species, the food chain in today’s world is more sustainable than the one described in the novel. According to The Effects of Endangered Species, as species go extinct, they are taken out of the food chain, consequently their predators to find new food sources or to starve. This damages the populations of plants and animals which unbalances ecosystems. Fauna and flora must be protected from air pollution, urban development and overhunting to avoid this problem from

Read More
499 Words | 2 Pages

Invasive species interact with the global health of ecosystems; cause great damage to natural systems and are a huge cost to society as a whole (1). Biologists and environmentalists are alarmed that the invasions of these species could lead to large-scale declines and extinction of native species (3). There are approximately 50,000 foreign species Living in the United States, causing major environmental damages which costs add up to about $120 billion a year. It is believed that about 42% of the threatened or endangered species are at risk because of invasive species (4).

Read More
1196 Words | 5 Pages

There are many invasive species that are affecting the Everglades by invading the ecosystem. Many of these species were brought to the everglades by people and animals. They are changing the ecosystem and are competing with natural native inhabitants of that area. The native species have to adapt to the change or move to another area to survive. Both plant and animal species have invaded the area within the Everglades.

Read More
1251 Words | 6 Pages

This one explanation full illustrates the importance of a balanced ecosystem and how the introduction of a predator can make sweeping changes in the

Read More
628 Words | 3 Pages

There are cities, like Philadelphia, that as time passes they start to grow in size and population as a result they have to create recreational places. As years go by, people start to interact more in recreational places until they become a cosmopolitan canopy. According to the book “The Cosmopolitan Canopy: Race and Civility in Everyday Life” by Elijah Anderson, a cosmopolitan canopy is a place that provides opportunities for new relationships to develop and where people come together to socialize and practice getting along with others. In this reading, Anderson also explains that a cosmopolitan canopy is not just created by the place itself or by the diversity of ethnicity, gender, and social class in and around it but also by the “goodwill that is expressed and experienced by most who enter these premises” (Anderson 11). Personally, I agree with Anderson because in order for something to become a cosmopolitan canopy, there has to be difference on the people in it.

Read More
968 Words | 4 Pages

A drastic change as we can see that more than half of the Everglades has disappeared. Along with the disappearance of its land and water we see that animals have been effected to. The Everglades is an environmentally diverse location that holds many different habitats and in those habitats lie native, invasive, and endangered species. Throughout this speech you will learn just what exactly is happening to the precious animals of the Everglades.

Read More
1835 Words | 8 Pages

Have you ever heard the deafening trumpet of an elephant or witnessed the quick and sudden turns of a cheetah? These natural wonders are merely a fraction of the countless species that compose the complex web of life on Earth. However, the continued presence of these creatures is becoming increasingly jeopardized, as human activities like habitat destruction and poaching are carried out. Enter the wildlife protection community, a network of passionate individuals who devote their efforts to preserving endangered species and their associated habitats. The wildlife protection community is a committed group of individuals who recognize the importance of conserving these creatures and their natural surroundings in order to maintain biodiversity,

Read More
358 Words | 2 Pages

Invasive species are a big problem to the United States ,because they can cause billions of dollars in damage. In this paper it will reveal some of the most known invasive species in the Florida everglades. The different Invasive species that will be discussed are the Giant African Snail, the Brazilian Pepper Tree, and the Cuban Treefrog. The first invasive species is the Giant African Snail. It originated from Africa and was first presented to Florida as being a pet.

Read More
735 Words | 3 Pages

These include Haitian solenodon the Hispaniola Hutia who have both been thrown to the verge of extinction. Haiti is one of the only places where you can find them in the wild. There have been other animals that have been brought to extinction and unfortunately didn't make it. There are many different flora in Haiti, like the giant tree fern, orchids and bayahondes it is very life filled. Many people go to Haiti to see all of the wildlife and flora that can be found in only a few other spots in the world.

Read More
1057 Words | 5 Pages

Invasive species Pythons population is rapidly growing in Florida causing corruption in florida with the animals and their habitats. Invasive species in the United states is a big problem especially in the everglades in Florida and other places in the south. The invasive species are from all over the word and they are all different types of animals. Most invasive animals in the everglades eating other bait fish which are other animals prey and possibly eating other predators. I know at my house we have some overpopulated animals but if they were to be eaten by an opposing animal plants would overpopulate my woods at my house.

Read More
1618 Words | 7 Pages

2. Herbivory: Non-native herbivores trample or overgraze vegetation. They may not kill the species they consume, but any removal of vegetation tissue affects its survival capacity (Smith & Smith, 2009). 3. Predation: Killing of weaker native species, possibly leading to extinction.

Read More
1296 Words | 6 Pages

How Mental Disorders Contributes to Serial Killers A serial killer and the reasons for their behavior are so unlike there is no basis to compare to other criminals and the reasons they commit their crimes. One reason why is that most serial killers are affected with various mental disorders, also known as a mental illness.

Read More
2241 Words | 9 Pages

Invasive species are a huge problem for America's National Parks. They are horribly impacting ecosystems, hard to stop and are very costly to deal with. Impacting ecosystems: These invasive creatures need to be stopped. The invasive species issue is a very urgent matter that needs addressing straight away. The invasive species are demolishing the delicate balance of the park's ecosystems.

Read More
905 Words | 4 Pages

However, the rate at which the species were discovered became less and less. This correlates with the Species Area Relationship (SAR) theory as proposed by Arrhenius. When graphed, in both plots we notice a curve. This to correlates within the SAR theory in a small area. As we did not analyze a large area, which encompassed multiple biomes, we did not find the “s” shape graph, which is evident in figure 1 in the literature review.

Read More

More about Keystone Species And Their Impact On Ecological Communities

Related Topics

Open Document