🔆ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
✅Protection of water resources + Soils formation and protection + Nutrient storage and recycling + Pollution breakdown and absorption + Contribution to climate stability + Maintenance of ecosystems + Recovery from unpredictable events.
▪️TERMINOLOGIES RELATED TO SPECIES : Different types of species
✅FLAGSHIP SPECIES-
Species chosen to represent an environmental cause, like an ecosystem might be in need of conservation . Chosen for their Vulnerability , attractiveness
or distinctiveness.
Example;Indian tiger, the giant panda, the Golden lion ,the African elephant, Asian elephant, etc.
✅KEYSTONE SPECIES:
Species whose addition to or subtraction from an ecosystem leads to major changes in abundance or occurrence of at least one other species.
🔸 Plays.role in structure, functioning or productivity of a habitat or ecosystem.
Example: All top predators like Lion, Tiger, Crocodile, Elephant.
✅INDICATOR SPECIES:
It defines trait or characteristics of the environment.
🔸They are chosen as an indicator of,or proxy for, the state of an ecosystem or of a certain process within that ecosystem.
Example: Lichens- indicators of air quality (sensitive to sulfur dioxide), Amphibians (e.g. Frog)indicates global warming and air pollution.
Fish, invertebrates,periphyton, macrophytes, etc.
✅FOUNDATION SPECIES:
Dominant primary producer in an ecosystem both in terms of abundance and influence.
Example: Corals
✅CHARISMATIC SPECIES:
Large animal species with widespread popular appeal that environmental activists use to achieve conservation goals well beyond those species.
Example: Barasingha (Bhoorsingh from kanha national park), Giant panda, The Bengal tiger, Blue whale.
✅UMBRELLA SPECIES:
It acts as umbrella.Conservation of umbrella species would extend protection to other species as well.
Example: Conservation of Tiger, efforts have been made to save the populations of wild Tigers in order to save other species that are present in the same .
ecosystems such as Leopards, Monkey, Hares, Boars, etc
✅INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES OF INDIA
: Species that occur outside their natural range + threaten native plants and animals or other aspects of biodiversity.
Example: Goat weed, Alternanthera paronychioides, Prickly poppy, Palmyra, Toddy palm, Calotropis/ Madar, Swallow wort, Water Hyacinth.
