What Effect Do Keystone Species Have On An Ecosystem

The keystone species is a species that has a large effect on the environment when it comes to its abundance.

The ecosystem would have to radically change allowing new and possibly invasive species to take over the habitat. They are the predators mutualists and engineers in. If the keystone species disappear from the ecosystem no other species can do its job. A keystone species is a species which has a disproportionately large effect on its natural environment relative to its abundance a concept introduced in 1969 by the zoologist robert t.

In an ecological community these species are needed for they are the ones which are described as the ones playing the critical role of maintaining the structure of the ecosystem. A keystone species is a life form that affects an entire ecosystem. Keystone species have low functional redundancy. Without its keystone species the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether.