EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -There are three types of keystone species cited by many scientists: predators, ecosystem engineers, and mutualists. Predators help control the populations of prey species, which in turn affects the quantity of plants and animals further along the food web.

Detailed explanation-2: -Keystone species hold together the complex web of relationships in an ecosystem. They can be animals, plants or microorganisms. Examples of keystone species include starfish, sea otters, wolves and elephants.

Detailed explanation-3: -Large mammalian predators are keystone species for large ecosystems. They consume a wide variety of species and thereby help in maintaining a balance in the ecosystem. For eg., Lions, tigers, jaguars are a few large mammalian predators.

Detailed explanation-4: -The difference between a keystone species and an endemic species is that a keystone species is a species that is essential to the health of the ecosystem and plays a large role relative to its abundance. An endemic species however, is simply a species that only lives in that ecosystem.

Detailed explanation-5: -Keystone species is an organism that helps hold the system together. The prey-predator relationship is a common example of keystone species. These species affect the structure and function of an ecosystem. More items •24-Jan-2023