If you watch the news periodically you will hear stories about certain species, like wolves, elephants, or whales. Why does the news only talk or glorify these certain animals? Mostly because they are "keystone" species, or animals that single handedly shape ecosystems. I'll show you some keystone species and how they do affect their ecosystems: Let's start with the elephants. These creatures have the ability to transform entire ecosystems. They are large, they eat down trees and keep the savanna a grassland for thousands upon thousands of herbivores. It may seem that elephants leave behind a path of destruction by creating corridors through woodlands and digging deep holes in the dry river beds, but both of these actions are highly beneficial. Corridors prevent the spread of wildfires and deep holes collect water for other animals. Elephants are vital distributors of seeds from the Balanite tree. Many parts of this tree are used as famine food in some regions of Africa. Under normal conditions, just a fraction of seeds (less than 15 percent) turns into mature trees, but seeds digested by elephants are 50 percent more likely to start growing. Grizzly Bears: The main reason why grizzlies are on the list of a keystone species is because they enrich the forest floor with nutrients from salmon carcasses. When bears feed on salmon, they often drag fish deep into the forest. Leftover carcasses from their grand feast fertilize forest soil with nitrogen and phosphorus, and support growth of strong and healthy trees. The grizzly niche in their ecosystem is like being a gardener. When digging for roots and bulbs to eat, bears turn over large areas of soil in mountainous terrain. This aerates soils and mixes in organic material, enhancing growth of many different wildflowers. Also, numerous seeds of berries and pine nuts get distributed through their waste (poop). If you need to clean the ocean, call on a shark. For the past 400 million years, the ocean health has depended on sharks more than on any other marine predator. 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 Sea otters are like rangers of the sea, they feed on sea urchins, and in doing so, they control their population. If urchin populations grew too large, they would eat the kelp that grows in the same habitat. Kelp – a giant seaweed – is a major source of food and shelter for numerous other species, such as crabs, snails, and geese. Many fish species also use kelp forests as their hiding spot from predators Another teeny, tiny organism, krill has a very important roll starting at the beginning of the food chain. Krill has an irreplaceable role in the marine ecosystem as a carrier of nutrients. These tiny crustaceans feed on phytoplankton, which is incredibly rich in life-promoting nutrients such as amino acids, antioxidants, carotenoids, bioflavinoids and omega-3,6 fatty acids. Being the staple food of a whale diet, krill becomes their essential source of these rich nutrients. And not only for whales. Krill is eaten by seals, penguins, squid, fish, and has a long history of being harvested even for human consumption, especially in Norway. Beavers were once considered a great pest and were hunted near to extinction. Now we know that they are a keystone species for forests and meadows. beavers provide habitats for other wildlife and ideal spawning grounds for numerous species of fish like trout and salmon. In fact, without beaver dams we would not have healthy salmon populations! Beaver dams trap fine sediment, letting only clean water pass through, which creates perfect conditions for salmon eggs downstream. The service beavers do for the environment does not end with providing suitable habitat to other species. It is also the creation of wetlands that has an incredible value. Wetlands play a critical role in naturally removing pollutants from water and absorbing carbon more effectively than forests. These are just a few examples of keystone species. Every ecosystem has them and they are the key to keeping the ecosystem healthy.
16 Comments
Errol
5/21/2018 03:27:43 pm
We are keystone species....right?
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Sammy
5/21/2018 04:26:00 pm
I don’t know Errol.....
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David
5/21/2018 08:08:30 pm
Probably, We Might Also Be An invasive species.
mackinna
5/21/2018 03:42:54 pm
the elephant is so cute!!!!!!
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Sadie
5/21/2018 04:23:44 pm
Wonderful job on the blog today Mrs. Taylor!!! I have the same question that Errol has.
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jerin ( lukes little bro)
5/21/2018 05:35:37 pm
ME LIKE BLOG TODAY
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addy
5/21/2018 06:02:39 pm
good job on the blog today
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Jerin (Lukes little bro)
5/21/2018 06:03:30 pm
ME ALSO USE GOOD GRAMMAR.
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JAC
5/21/2018 07:56:59 pm
YOU GRAMMAR SO GOOD
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Elayna
5/21/2018 06:43:48 pm
Keystone species are so interesting to learn about. I wonder what other keystone species do...
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David
5/21/2018 08:03:38 pm
My Favorite Keystone species is Probably Te African BULL Elephant, Because Elephants Are AWESOME. Good Job on Te Blog TUDAY!
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jac
5/21/2018 08:07:32 pm
Me favorite keystone species is da grizzly bears! Dat vid was so cool. Me like da vid. Maybe grizzly in the vid will eat you. You may never know. Do or do not there is no try with the grizzlies!
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Sadie
5/22/2018 06:48:49 am
Why is everyone using poor grammar???
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Sophia Groom
5/22/2018 09:38:26 am
This is so cool
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Luke
5/22/2018 09:38:52 am
Last minute comment.
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Tyler Jensen
5/22/2018 09:39:02 am
is it weird if keystone species remind me of pokemon?
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Mrs. TaylorI love science! Everything about the world is interesting and never boring. I love to study plants, animals, insects, and people. My favorite subjects are my students who are the most unique organisms on the planet! Categories |