14: Keystone Species

Question 1

Are all species equally important to an ecosystem?

Answer 1

No

Question 2

What is a dominant species?

Answer 2

the most abundant species in an ecosystem; the one that has the highest biomass in an ecosystem
- can be important for the functioning of an ecosystem but not always

Question 3

What is an example of a dominant species?

Answer 3

american chestnut
- most dominant tree in North America until 1900s where they were wiped out by fungus
- few consequences despite being the dominant species

Question 4

What is a keystone species?

Answer 4

plays very important roles in the ecosystem that affect many other organisms; their effects far exceed their abundance
- removal of a keystone species changes the ecosystem composition