TYPES OF SPECIES

Endemic Species:
Endemism is the ecological state of a species being unique to a defined
geographic location, such as an island, nation, country or other defined zone,
or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to
it if they are also found elsewhere. Another term for a species that is
endemic is precinctive, which applies to species (and sub-specific categories)
that are restricted to a defined geographical area.
Sometimes species become endemic due to habitat destruction.
Animal examples:

o Small islands - lemurs of Madagascar and the tortoises of the

Galpagos.
o Big islands also provide the same isolation on a larger scale.
o Koalas, kangaroos, and polar bears, are all endemic species.
Plant examples:
o Redwood forests on the west coast of the United States.

Keystone Species:
Keystone species is a species that has a disproportionately large effect on
its environment relative to its abundance. Such species are described as
playing a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological
community, affecting many other organisms in an ecosystem and helping to
determine the types and numbers of various other species in the community.
Animal Examples:
o Bees: By pollinating plants, bees contribute to their survival. The
plants are shelter for insects, which are then eaten by other species,
like birds.

o Elephants: By eating small trees, elephants preserve the grasslands,

because the grasses need plenty of sun to survive. If they were not
there, the savanna would convert to a forest or scrublands.
o Gopher tortoise: This tortoise makes large burrows which are used by
more than 350 species, including owls, snakes and frogs.

Plant Examples:
Sugar maple: This tree is a keystone species of the hardwood forest. It
brings water from lower levels in the ground that
o Red mangrove: This tree grows along the shoreline in the tropics and its
roots protect the soil from erosion. The roots also offer protection to small
animals, including reef fish helps other plants. It is also home to many
insects, birds, and small animals.
o

Indicator Species:
Indicator species is any biological species that defines a trait or
characteristic of the environment. For example, a species may delineate an
ecoregion or indicate an environmental condition such as a disease outbreak,
pollution, species competition or climate change. Indicator species can be
among the most sensitive species in a region, and sometimes act as an early
warning to monitoring biologists.
Animal Examples:
o Stoneflies: indicate high oxygen water.
o Lichens: some species indicate low air pollution.
o Mollusca: numerous bivalve molluscs indicate water pollution status.
Plant Examples:

o Greasewood: indicates saline soil.

Recognition Species:
Recognition species: The concept that a species is characterized by a
unique fertilization system (the specific mate recognition system), which

restricts gene-flow with other species. This changes the emphasis in the
biological species concept from negative (not interbreeding with other
species) to positive (breeding specifically with members of the same
species).

Examples:
o American crickets: different species sing different songs. Within a
single habitat in the USA, as many as 30 or 40 different species of
crickets may be breeding but the female cricket recognizes the song of
males of her own species and will breed only with a male who sings
that song. The song, and the female recognition of it, constitutes a
mate recognition system: the species has a specific mate recognition
system by which it can be identified.

Genetic Species:
Genetic Species: We define a genetic species as a group of genetically
compatible interbreeding natural populations that is genetically isolated from
other such groups. This focus on genetic isolation rather than reproductive
isolation distinguishes the Genetic Species.
Examples:
o Lizards
o Snakes

Ecological Species:

Ecological species: According to the ecological species concept, the more

similar two organisms are then the more likely that their needs will overlap,
the more likely they will compete over resources such as food and shelter,
and therefore the more likely that they are members of the same species.
Examples:
o Lion and tigers

Done by: Beverly Britto