keystone species
Ecosystem's crucial player
A keystone species is an organism that has an outsized effect on its ecosystem relative to its abundance.
Remove the keystone and the community collapses or transforms dramatically—like removing the keystone from an arch.
Wolves, sea otters, and certain starfish are classic examples.
The term appears in ecology and conservation biology: Beavers are a keystone species because their dams create wetland habitats for countless other organisms.
Marine mustelid mammal
- kelp forestSeaweed-dominated underwater ecosystem
- wolfWild pack canine
- elephantTusked gray giant
- beaverDam-constructing aquatic rodent
starfish · prairie dog · jaguar · shark · parrotfish · fig tree · salmon · sea urchin
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- apex predatorUnpreyed-upon dominant hunter
- food webInterconnected predator-prey relationships
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- ecological balanceStable ecosystem state
interdependence · niche · predator-prey · herbivory · mutualism · symbiosis · biotic · carrying capacity
At risk of extinction
- reintroductionAct of bringing back
- habitat restorationReviving degraded natural environments
- wildlife managementSupervising animal populations sustainably
- protected areasZones with legal conservation status
captive breeding · genetic diversity · rewilding · translocation · ecosystem restoration · poaching · habitat loss · population decline
sea otter
Marine mustelid mammal
- kelp forestSeaweed-dominated underwater ecosystem
- wolfWild pack canine
- elephantTusked gray giant
beaver · starfish · prairie dog · jaguar · shark · parrotfish · fig tree · salmon · sea urchin · coral
ecosystem
Interconnected organisms and surroundings
- apex predatorUnpreyed-upon dominant hunter
- food webInterconnected predator-prey relationships
- biodiversityRange of life forms
ecological balance · interdependence · niche · predator-prey · herbivory · mutualism · symbiosis · biotic · carrying capacity · guild
endangered
At risk of extinction
- reintroductionAct of bringing back
- habitat restorationReviving degraded natural environments
- wildlife managementSupervising animal populations sustainably
protected areas · captive breeding · genetic diversity · rewilding · translocation · ecosystem restoration · poaching · habitat loss · population decline · conservation status
- connectionslink, links, connect, connection, tie
- biology termscell, DNA, genetics, genetic, evolution
- ecologyhabitat, ecosystem, balance, niche, food webs
- environmentalismecology, conservationism, recycling bins, campaigner, environmentalism
- foodchainproducer, consumer, predator, prey, apex predator
- native wildlifenative birds, native mammals, native fish, native bees, unique wildlife
keystone speciesinvasive species
Harmful non-native organism
alien species · introduced species · exotic species · nuisance species
stone, special, specific, backbone, species, specialist, specify, specimen, specialty