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. B...