5 examples of keystones species

1. Tiger shark

Tiger Shark

These sharks will eat practically anything. This helps control populations of sea turtles and dugongs who may cause over gazing of the seagrass in Western Australia. Since seagrass is where fish lay their eggs, over gazing would lead to less fish. Sharks prey on the sick and weak members of other fish populations, and some also scavenge the sea floor to feed on dead carcasses. As such, their feeding habits help prevent the spread of diseases and regulate the size of fish populations. Without sharks, the whole marine ecosystem would get out of balance, as some species would overpopulate and out-compete other, possibly even driving them to extinction.

2. Parrotfish

Parrotfish

Parrotfish is one of the main caretakers of coral reefs. Every day this fish visits coral reefs and feeds on algae and coral branches, removing dead pieces and cleaning the coral surface. In fact, a single fish can consume up to 4,500 kg of material every year. By being such a good eater, parrotfish prevents algal proliferation in the reefs.

     It is very important to keep algae species at a check because once algae dominate the reef, the healthy balance of coral reefs is irreversibly disrupted. Under extreme conditions, invasive algae might even kill corals, destroying the habitat of nearly 25 percent of all marine species.

     According to a new Australian study, the parrotfish on the Great Barrier Reef, for example, is the only one of thousands of reef fish species that regularly performs the task of scraping and cleaning inshore coral reefs. "This parrotfish is a particularly valuable species", says Professor David Bellwood a marine ecologist at James Cook University stated.

Without sharks, the whole marine ecosystem would get out of balance, as some species would overpopulate and outcompete other, possibly even driving them to extinction
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Sharks prey on the sick and weak members of other fish populations, and some also scavenge the sea floor to feed on dead carcasses. As such, their feeding habits help prevent the spread of diseases and regulate the size of fish populations
Read more: https://greentumble.com/12-examples-of-keystone-species/saas

Sharks prey on the sick and weak members of other fish populations, and some also scavenge the sea floor to feed on dead carcasses. As such, their feeding habits help prevent the spread of diseases and regulate the size of fish populations
Read more: https://greentumble.com/12-examples-of-keystone-species/

Sharks prey on the sick and weak members of other fish populations, and some also scavenge the sea floor to feed on dead carcasses. As such, their feeding habits help prevent the spread of diseases and regulate the size of fish populations
Read more: https://greentumble.com/12-examples-of-keystone-species/

   

3. Mangroves

Red Mangroves

Mangroves are ecosystem engineers, they form their own ecosystem and provide habitat for several other species. Mangroves’ root systems trap huge amounts of soft sediments, and in some areas where dense mangrove forests become established, they can be responsible for creating entire islands. Importantly, networks of these sediment-trapping forests buffer the coastline against wave-induced erosion and provide coastal ecosystems and coastal communities a vital line of defense against strong, tropical storms.  Mangrove forests also provide important nursery habitat for many species of fishes and invertebrates, including those that are commercially important fisheries species, which later move to coral reefs and other ecosystems as they mature.  Without the protection that mangrove forests provide the juveniles of these species, their adult populations and the fishers who rely on their capture suffer.  Furthermore, mangrove forests are a primary habitat for mature individuals of many species of seabirds and waterfowl and some terrestrial animals as well.

   

4. African Termites

African Termites

Mound-building termites or just mound builders are a group of termite species that live in mounds. This group of termites lives in Africa, Australia, and South America. The mounds sometimes have a diameter of 30 meters. Most of the mounds are in well-drained areas. Termite mounds usually outlive the colonies themselves. If the inner tunnels of the nest are exposed it is usually dead. Sometimes other colonies, of the same or different species, occupy a mound after the original builders' deaths. Termite mounds are not only attracting free tenants, they also offer nutritionally rich ground for many plant species, even trees. According to scientific observations, Acacia trees are more likely to reproduce when in proximity to termite mounds. It is because the mounds contain high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and important micronutrients such as iron or zinc. So, it may not be directly the termites themselves who draw the diverse life in savanna together, but their mound-building activity and nutrient accumulation certainly do.

5.  Jaguars

Jaguars

The adult jaguar is an apex predator, meaning that it exists at the top of its food chain and is not preyed on in the wild. The Jaguar has also been termed a keystone species, as it is assumed, through controlling the population levels of prey such as herbivorous and granivorous mammals, apex felids maintain the structural integrity of forest systems. However, accurately determining what effect species like the jaguar have on ecosystems is difficult, because data must be compared from regions where the species is absent as well as its current habitats while controlling for the effects of human activity. It is accepted that mid-sized prey species undergo population increases in the absence of the keystone predators and it has been hypothesized that this has cascading negative effects. However, field work has shown this may be natural variability and that the population increases may not be sustained.