Keystone species

Learn about keystone species in ecology. Get the definition and examples and discover the importance of a keystone species in an ecosystem.

Beavers (like SPREE’s mascot, Chompers!) are cute, funky looking creatures that have inspired human curiosity for centuries, but did you know that they play an essential role in our river ecosystems? By blocking river flow, a beaver’s dam can create ponds or deeper channels of water. Many fish, like Colorado’s Greenback Cutthroat Trout, thrive in

Rewilding frequently involves restoring populations of so-called “keystone species”. But what exactly are they, and how can they improve rewilding outcomes?

In every ecosystem, an organism has a role to fulfill Learn the keystone species examples and why they are an important player in an ecosystem.

In the 1920s, government policy allowed the extermination of Yellowstone’s gray wolf—the apex predator—triggering an ecosystem collapse known as trophic cascade. In 1995—through use of the Endangered Species Act—the conservation community reintroduced the gray wolf to restore balance. The impact was dramatic.

Keystone Species Sampler: Purple Sea Star

define keystone species

Exploring Trophic Cascades | This interactive module explores examples of how changes in one species can affect species at other trophic levels and ultimately the entire ecosystem.

explain the importance of keystone species with an example

Learn what keystone species are and why they are so important to the environment. #animalfacts #funfacts

How Sea Otters Help the Elkhorn Slough Ecosystem

Definition of Keystone species: Any species whose removal or reduction from an ecosystem adversely affect the overall diversity, stability a...

Without its keystone, a Roman aqueduct collapses. Does the same travesty befall an ecosystem when a keystone species goes missing from the ecological equation?

As earth stewards of our amazing planet, we can appreciate the potential importance of all species to the continued existence of a complex ecosystem. But there are some that stand out and do the he…

Levels of biodiversity. 3 scales: a.) ecosystem diversity is the variety of ecosystems within a region. b.) species diversity is the variety of species within an ecosystem c.) genetic diversity is the variety of genes among individuals of a species.