keystone-species
/ˈkiː.stəʊn ˈspiː.ʃiːz/ IELTSAcademic
noun
an animal, plant, or other species that has a very large effect on its ecosystem. If it disappears, the whole system can change a lot.
- Sea otters are a keystone species in kelp forests.
- Removing one keystone species can damage many others.
Adinary Nuance
A keystone species is not just any important species. It has an unusually big effect on other plants and animals in its ecosystem. It is different from an endangered species, which may be rare or at risk, but not always ecologically central. It is also different from a dominant species, which may be the most common or visible one.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- loài chủ chốt
- Spanish
- especie clave
- Chinese
- 关键物种
- Japanese
- キーストーン種
- Korean
- 핵심종
Etymology
This term comes from ecology and uses keystone from architecture, the central stone that holds an arch together. The phrase became common in the 1960s and 1970s.
Common phrases
a keystone speciesloss of a keystone speciesprotect keystone species
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is keystone species a formal word?
- Yes. It is common in science, education, and environmental writing.
- What is the difference between a keystone species and an endangered species?
- A keystone species affects the whole ecosystem strongly. An endangered species is a species at risk of dying out.
- Can plants be keystone species too?
- Yes. A plant can be a keystone species if many other species depend on it.