Types of species

Types of species (Based on their ecological roles)

1. Keystone species - Species which are crucial for the survival of the ecosystem, and their removal from the ecosystem may leads to its collapse. Example, lions, elephants, beavers, corals, prairie dogs
2. Engineer species - The species that modify the landscape in such a way that it starts to support number of other species. Engineer species are a subset of keystone species. Example, beavers, corals, prairie dogs, elephants
3. Indicator species - Indicator species are species that indicate the health of the ecosystem through increased or decreased in their numbers or morphological changes in their body. Example - Unpolluted freshwater - Gharial, Gangetic dolphin larvae, Nymph of caddisfly Moderately-polluted water - Shrimps Highly-polluted water - E. coli, Tubifex worm Air pollution - Lichens, Amphibians
4. Umbrella species - Umbrella species are the species that are picked for conservation because in order to meet their needs like hunting, grazing, mating, etc. a lot of area has to be brought under conservation thereby conserving all the other species present in the area. Example, Tiger, Lion, Elephant
5. Flagship species - These species are chosen for conservation due to their public appeal that would help in conservation as these species are charismatic, majestic and appealing to public. Example, Koalas, Pandas, Polar Bear, Butterfly