Keystone Species Examples In India

The below are the examples of keystone species in India:

  1. Fiddler crabs are detritivores, which means they eat dead organic stuff. The ecosystem cannot function without it. These crabs provide an important service by removing leaf litter and delivering nutrients to the soil.
  2. Cullenia exarillata tree (local name Veipla) is native to India’s Western Ghats, is home to a diverse range of species. This life-giving stationery guardian attracts insects, birds, and mammals alike.
  3. Sloth bears in the wild serve critical roles in the ecology they dwell in, excavating termite, mounds, and hills with their enormous claws and munching on the morsels buried within. These are keystone species because their food, which consists primarily of termites, fruits, and tubers, contributes to forest health. Ramdurga ecosystem protection in Karnataka has recovered to its former glory! Sloth bears, leopards, and the uncommon pangolin have all made a comeback.
  4. Elephants are a keystone Engineers in the southern part of India including Karnataka, kerala and Tamil nadu. Elephants consume small trees and shrubs that thrive in the area. Elephants can topple and uproot the acacia tree, even if it reaches a height of a yard or more. Because of their grazing habits, the area remains a grassland instead of a forest.
  5. The mutually beneficial relationships that bees have with plants make them an excellent example of keystone species of arch. They increase plant growth and fertilisation potential, for instance, when they gather nectar and pollen, which are their main food sources.

Keystone Species and Their Role in Ecosystem

Keystone species are those that are unique and essential to the functioning of an ecosystem. Keystone species research provides essential theory and evidence for conservation ecology, biodiversity, habitat management, and the dynamics and stability of the ecosystem. Their daily actions have a direct or indirect impact on a wide range of other species. Keystone species can also include herbivores. They contribute to the biological and physical regulation of an environment through their consumption of plants.

Table of Content

  • What are Keystone Species?
  • Where Did the Name ‘Keystone’ Come From?
  • Types of Keystone Species
  • Importance of Keystone Species
  • Keystone Species Examples
  • Keystone Species Examples In India

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What are Keystone Species?

A keystone species is any species whose removal from an ecosystem hurts the overall variety and stability of the ecosystem. The concept of keystone species implies that an ecological community is more than just a collection of species. Typically, keystone species do not require huge habitats and hence remain limited to the ecosystem. Keystone species are usually non-migratory and have an impact on a specific environment or habitat....

Where Did the Name ‘Keystone’ Come From?

This term originated in Robert Paine’s study in 1966 on a rocky shore community in California, where the entire species assemblage collapsed when the top predator (carnivorous starfish-pisasterochracceus) was removed. The concept of keystone species originated from the thought that the species diversity of an ecosystem was controlled by the predators in the food chains, and they affected many other creatures in the ecosystem....

Types of Keystone Species

The following are the types of keystone species:...

Importance of Keystone Species

Keystone Species are important because of the following reasons:...

Keystone Species Examples

The following are the examples of Keystone Species:...

Keystone Species Examples In India

The below are the examples of keystone species in India:...

FAQs on Keystone Species

What is a Keystone Species and Examples?...