“Key – stone species are such species that affect most ecosystems of a particular region.” Key-stone species provide sustainability to ecosystem and in their absence there are changes in which the nature of ecosystem changes completely and the chances of elimination also remain. Thus the role of Key – stone species in ecosystem is highly significant. Key – stone species mainly include predatory species, and these species have a major impact on ecosystems.
Increase in the number of predators is an indicator that they keep the number of prey species limited by consuming them in the form of food. Due to the lack of predatory species there will be an increase in the number of prey species and due to this situation, the possibility of destruction of all ecosystems will arise. These types of key-stone species determine the number of other species in the community. Elephants and frogs are such keystone species that balance the ecosystem.
