Currently, the conservation of species is presented as a very great challenge that results from considering a great variety of factors, such as the evaluation of which species inhabit an ecosystem, as well as their conservation status and the natural interactions between them. To do this, short- and medium-term action plans are designed, which often use animal species (or plants, in other cases) that are emblematic or that have some important characteristic within an ecosystemand that, in turn, help to conserve a complete landscape or ecosystem, since by preserving that species, the entire biological system will be preserved. In the case of keystone species, they define entire ecosystems, often causing very large effects.
Continue reading this article on our site and we will tell you more about the species of importance for the conservation of ecosystems, such as the key species, as well as examples and their characteristics.
What is a key species?
Although there is no complete consensus on how to define this concept, here we will explain that a keystone species is considered as one whose activities and abundance produce effects not only on other species, but also on the entire world. ecosystem where it lives, both its structure and its functioning.
A key species can have different effects on its ecosystem or on the other species with which it cohabits. Among them are:
- Modification of the landscape: whether its composition of communities of plant species, for example, as well as the structure of the place, being able to create many times open areas.
- Food source: On the other hand, they can be a potential food source for predators.
- Generators of refuge: others are generators of nesting or refuge sites for other species, as is the case of the African elephant.
- Alter ecological processes: They can also alter certain ecological processes, such as the exchange of nutrients, such as some birds that feed on the sea and then on the land they make their depositions.
Many of these species are very sensitive (although stable) to environmental changes in their surroundings, and this is one of the main characteristics of a keystone species, as well as the role it plays within its habitat and his long permanence in that environment.
Although the disappearance of any species within an ecosystem can cause drastic changes in it, the definition of a keystone species is attractive from the point of view of conservation, since these species can also serve as “bioindicators”, that is, they act as indicators of the he alth and quality of an area or natural environment.
Examples of key species
As we mentioned, key species are a tool for biodiversity conservation, so when conducting a study it is important to determine which species fall within this definition.
Key species types
There are several types of key species:
- Predators: Some are predators and, by feeding on herbivorous species, prevent the disappearance of vegetation in an area.
- Resource Providers: others are providers of resources, for example, fish that live in both marine and fresh waters and carry out the exchange of nutrients in both environments.
- Mutualists: May also be mutualistic species, such as plant-specific pollinating flies.
- Modifiers or ecosystem engineers: some are characterized as modifiers or ecosystem engineers, that is, species that modify their habitat, like some wood beetles that live inside tree trunks.
Next, we will see some examples of species that act as key species and that will help us better understand this concept.
Top predators as keystone species
Among the predators, there are the top predators, those that are at the top of the food chain. Some key species classified as top predators are:
- Ocher starfish (Pisaster ochraceus): depend on space and food, modifying the composition of the other species and causing changes in the physical environment around them. So much so, that it is key to maintaining the he alth and quality of the waters of the Pacific coast of North America. On the other hand, it maintains the explosive growth of certain species of mussels, for example, which, in the absence of this starfish, would proliferate and prevent other species from establishing themselves.
- Leopard (Panthera pardus): it is considered an apex predator, whose populations have been declining due to the destruction of its habitat and hunting Illegal throughout Africa and Asia. This has caused baboon populations to skyrocket, as in the absence of leopards (and other big cats) these primates take over as apex predators. However, they have another type of behavior, since being omnivores they feed on all kinds of food, for example agricultural crops, and this has caused conflicts with humans due to the destruction of their crops.
Modifiers or Ecosystem Engineers
Key species called ecosystem modifiers or engineers are, as their name indicates, species that modify their environment. We highlight the following:
- Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus): inhabitant of eastern and southern Africa, whose migrations of more than 1 million individuals cross the plains of the Serengeti and, in their wake, produce profound changes in this ecosystem. They feed on the grasses of the plains and thus maintain low cover, which in turn prevents fires. In addition, this species is eaten by large predators, such as some felines.
- African elephant (Loxodonta africana): produces important changes in the environment where it lives, as it benefits smaller species. In areas where there are more elephants, the biodiversity of amphibians and reptiles is greater. This is because this species, when it moves, produces open areas in more leafy areas, which translates into fallen trees and branches that become shelters and habitats for these smaller species.
In addition to the blue wildebeest and the African elephant, you may be interested in these other Animals of Africa.
Mutualistic key species
Within the mutualistic key species, that is, those that favor each other, we find examples such as the following:
- Flying Fox (Pteropus samoensis): These are fruit bats that inhabit islands in the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific. This species of bat (as well as other flying foxes) when feeding on the fruits of plants, disperses their seeds, so they play an extremely important role in the ecosystem. Also, being relatively large bats, they can carry larger seeds than other small species cannot.
- Eagle-billed Hummingbird (Eutoxeres aquila): This species of hummingbird inhabits Central and South America and is characteristic due to the shape of its its beak, since it is extremely curved. This has its reason, because this small bird feeds on the nectar of the flowers of certain plants, such as heliconias with hanging flowers or some bellflowers. Some of these plant species have co-evolved (that is, they have adapted and evolved mutually) with these birds, so they depend exclusively on hummingbirds for their pollination, since if it weren't for them they would be at risk of disappearing.
In this other article we also talk about 15 pollinating animals - Characteristics and examples.
Resource-providing species
Within the key species, we also find the species that provide resources. Some of the most striking are:
- Brown Bear (Ursus arctos): This species is known because just before hibernation, it feeds on a large number of of salmon taking advantage of their migration. Once it catches its prey, the bear moves away to the forest to feed on them and, in this way, the remains of the fish remain on the ground and favor the fertilization of the soil. In addition, they also feed on plant roots, so when they look for them they stir the soil, favoring the mixture of organic matter.
- Seabirds: for example, many species of cormorants and seagulls (among others) favor the exchange and export of nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) from the sea to the land, providing these important compounds for soil fertilization. Their guano (excrement) forms the most important input of nutrients during the winter, since in the places where their nesting colonies are found, they favor the growth of natural vegetation. In addition, they also favor the balance of oceanic compounds and their productivity.
