NEET BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -A keystone species is an organism that helps define an entire ecosystem. Without its keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. Keystone species have low functional redundancy.

Detailed explanation-2: -In a marine ecosystem, or any type of ecosystem, a keystone species is an organism that helps hold the system together. Without its keystone species, ecosystems would look very different. Some ecosystems might not be able to adapt to environmental changes if their keystone species disappeared.

Detailed explanation-3: -Examples of keystone species include starfish, sea otters, wolves and elephants.

Detailed explanation-4: -A keystone species is a plant, animal, fungi, or even bacteria that has a disproportionately large impact on their ecosystem. They play an important role in their natural environments as their impact on other species can reshape entire ecosystems.

Detailed explanation-5: -The importance of keystone species for maintaining biodiversity. Keystone species are solely responsible for maintaining the local species diversity. Without keystone predators, one prey population will explode and lead to extinction of other populations, as in the case of the mussels in Tatoosh Islands.