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Ecological Principles
KEYSTONE
SPECIES
Lecture #5
2010 October 10
1
DEFINITION
A keystone species is a species whose very
presence contributes to a diversity of life
and whose extinction would consequently
lead to the extinction of other forms of life.
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Elephants as Keystone Species in
Grasslands
Elephants appear to be keystone species in African grasslands. That is,
without elephants (or some other player to fill the elephants' role), the
grasslands actually cease to exist as grasslands. Take away the elephants,
and the grasslands, which overgrow with woody plants, convert to
forests or to shrub-lands.
9
More than 200 other wildlife species
have been observed on or nearKeystone Species
prairie dog colonies. Some of these – Prairie Dog
animals depend on prairie dogs as a
food source or for their habitat.
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INTRODUCTION
Communities are composed of several populations of
different species living in the same area. By living in the
same habitat, community structure develops from the many
interactions that occur between different populations.
21
Symbiosis
Two species who have a symbiotic relationship have a
close, long-term association. This relationship can be as
close as the green algae Zoochlorellae that live with sea
anemones, providing the anemone with sugar, a by-
product of photosynthesis.
22
Mutalism
Some populations interact in a mutalistic manner in communities,
one form of cooperation. In a mutalistic situation, two populations
benefit equally.
23
Commensalism
This occurs when one species benefits from an arrangement,
while the other species does not benefit, but nor does the second
species suffer.
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Parasitism
The most harmful form of symbiosis is parasitism.
Parasitism benefits one species to the detriment of the
other species. The host species may only suffer a mild a
loss, such as losing nutrients, or the host species may die
because of the parasite's activities.
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