Keystone Species Types

A species that plays a critical role in the health, maintenance, growth, or definition of an ecosystem.

• keystone

• invasive

• engineer

• predator

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Two or more species that engage in mutually beneficial interactions.

• mutualists

• engineers

• invasives

• predators

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

A species that does not belong in a balanced ecosystem, comes in, and changes it (usually for the worse).

• flagnship

• umbrella

• invasive

• predator

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A species that helps to manage prey populations, which in turn controls the ecosystem's producers (vegetation).

• predator

• keystone

• engineer

• mutualist

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A species whose value is tied to its large geographic range, and sometimes includes migratory organisms.

• engineer

• umbrella

• mutualist

• foundation

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A species that becomes popular in media, drawing attention to its fragile or endangered habitat.

• mutualist

• predator

• umbrella

• flagship

A species that creates and/or maintains a habitat, often the basis for an entire ecosystem.

• engineer

• foundation

• predator

• keystone

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

A species whose behavior contributes to the physical geography of their habitat, making or modifying habitat.

• engineer

• predator

• keystone

• umbrella

A species that is very sensitive to environmental changes and can help humans identify if the habitat is suffering.

• indicator

• umbrella

• predator

• mutualist

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A species whose consumption of plants helps control the physical and biological aspects of an ecosystem.

• predator

• keystone

• herbivore

• flagship

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-1