collocation · academic
keystone species
UK/ˈkiːstəʊn ˈspiːʃiːz/US/ˈkiːstoʊn ˈspiʃiz/KEE·stone SPEE·cies
a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem compared with its abundance.
Examples
“Sea otters are often cited as keystone species because they control sea urchin numbers.”
“Protecting keystone species can help stabilise an entire ecosystem.”
“Scientists are trying to identify local keystone species before planning restoration.”
Band 8 sentence
“Identifying keystone species is essential because their loss can trigger cascading changes across the entire ecosystem.”
Collocations
- protect keystone species
- identify keystone species
Word family
Common mistakes
keystone specie→keystone species
key species→keystone species
keystone-species→keystone species
Say it for a higher band
5important species→6key species→7+keystone species
Synonyms
flagship species
umbrella species
Easily confused
flagship species
“Tigers are often used as flagship species to raise conservation funds.”
Related words
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In Nature & Animals
Learn it with its set