Keystone Specie Loss/ Replacement and its Relative Importance to Conservation

Abstract

The constant change of the environment has caused many animals to adapt. However, for those animals that cannot, their persistence becomes unclear. The unfortunate part is that in most cases it is humans that have caused extinctions. Each species is important, yet keystone species are the most influential. This study focused on the loss of keystone species. A review of the literature indicated that in some areas the loss of keystone species has caused detrimental trophic cascades; however, there is little information as to whether keystone species can be replaced by another species. Research on keystone species could include information on the habitat before the loss of the keystone and the amount of time it took for the habitat to recover after the loss. Some studies indicated that another species may be able to fill the niche of the previous keystone. Thus, it is suggested that keystone species may not be as irreplaceable as previously though. Furthermore, this brings to light the need to research keystone species in areas of extreme biodiversity to determine whether habitat may be irreversibly affected by the loss. I propose that research on the importance of keystone species include data about the capacity of a habitat to recover after the loss of a keystone species.