Types of species of Biological
Importance
Dr. Anugrah Tripathi
Umbrella species
• A species with large area requirements for which
protection of the species offers protection to other
species that share the same habitat.
• An Umbrella effect is the protection extended by the
presence of an umbrella species to other species in
the same habitat.
• An umbrella species can be defined as a species whose conservation confers
protection to a large number of naturally co-occurring species (Fleishman, Murphy
& Brussard, 2000)
Ex. Northern spotted owls: Molluscs and salamanders are within the protective boundaries of the
northern spotted owl.
Characteristics-
• Their biology is well known
• Easily observed or sampled
• Have large home ranges
• They are migratory
• Long lifespan
“Bringing Cheetahs here is a good idea. Restoring lost ecosystem elements is one
way of conserving biodiversity.
Top predators regulate all levels in a food chain and are considered as umbrella
species.
Once wolves were reintroduced into the Yellowstone Ecosystem in the USA their
effects were seen even on vegetation and water flows in streams!
Bringing back the cheetah to India which was part of its historical range will bring
back the balance and restore an evolutionary force under which many functional
traits of deer and antelopes have evolved.
Keystone species
•These species play a critical role in maintaining the structure of an
ecological community, affecting many other organisms in an ecosystem.
•These help to determine the types and numbers of various other species
in the community.
•Protection of keystone species is a priority for conservation efforts.
Ex. (i) Banksia prionotes (Acorn Banksia) is the sole source of nectar for
honeyeaters, which play an important role in pollination of numerous plant
species.
(ii) 50 species of genus Pteropus at the Islands of south pacific are important
dwelling for pollinator and seed disperser of hundreds of tropical plants.
•If keystone species is removed from any ecosystem, it results in dramatic
changes to the rest of the community.
•Importance-
▪ Exhibits highly specialized relationship between Keystone species and
other organisms.
▪ Biodiversity conservation
▪ Organize ecological communities
Dominant species:
• A dominant species is a plant, animal or functional group of different
species most commonly or conspicuously found in a particular
ecosystem.
• It is generally the most populous species or comprises the greatest
biomass in an ecosystem.
• Any species which is more numerous than its competitors in an
ecological community.
• A dominant species might be better at obtaining resources, resisting
diseases or deterring competitors or predators
Ex. In sub-temperate Himalayan region Quercus Species is dominant in most
of the forests.
Indicator species:
• Any biological species that defines a trait or characteristic of the
environment.
• Indicator species can be among the most sensitive species in a region, and
sometimes act as an early warning to monitoring biologists.
• Communities are better indicator than single species.
• Steno species are better indicator than Eury species.
Ex. Equisetum and Thuja indicates Gold deposites
Astragallus indicates Uranium Deposits.
Syzygium cumini and Terminalia arjuna indicate water logged area
Diatoms indicate sewage pollution
Flagship species:
• Flagship species act as symbols for the threats to the broader ecosystem in
which they occur, and can thus act as catalysts for wide-ranging conservation
activities.
• Species that have the ability to capture the imagination of the public and induce
people to support conservation action and/or to donate funds .
• Species that serve as symbols and rallying points to stimulate conservation
awareness and action.
Ex. Polar bears are a flagship species for conservation in the Arctic region, for example, while
giant pandas fulfill the role for the Yangtze River Basin in China
Charismatic species:
• Species with widespread popular appeal that environmental
activists use to achieve conservation goal.
• Charismatic or 'celebrity' endangered wildlife can help save less
well-known or 'forgotten' animals
• Environmentalists seek to use the leverage provided by
charismatic and well known species to achieve more subtle and
far-reaching goals in species and biodiversity conservation.
Ex. Lion, Bengal tiger, gray wolf, giant panda etc.
Native species
• When a species grows and gets established in a region by the act of only
natural processes, with no human intervention.
• They are ideally adapted to the local environment, including to the soils,
climate, and weather conditions.
• Plants that have developed, occur naturally, or existed for many years in an
area.
Ex. Abies pindrow, Aesculus indica etc.
Native and Non-Native Species
Non-Native species (Exotic / Alien Species)
▪Non-native (or exotic) plants are those introduced from other areas or enter in a particular
community by getting favorable conditions.
▪ Sometimes they were brought intentionally, to feed cattle or grow food or as ornamentals.
▪ Some of these plants may become invasive, putting high degree of adverse impact on the
natural ecosystems.
▪It has been realized that invasion of non-native species can dramatically change the composition
of native and endemic species.
▪ These species threaten biodiversity by direct competition with native and endemic species or
by altering ecosystem properties.
Ex. Prunus cornuta , Prunus persica, Salix daphnoides
Invasive species: Lantana camara
Invasive Species
•Invasive species is one that is non-native to an ecosystem and whose introduction
does or potentially cause economic or environmental harm to human health.
•Invasive species are serious and growing problem worldwide.
Effects caused by Invasion-
•Habitat loss
•Degradation
• Affect biological diversity
•Affect ecosystem health
•Native species endangerment
•Human mediated invasion cause large scale species movement.
Endemic and threatened species
Endemic species
• Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a particular geographic
location, such as a specific island, habitat type, nation or other defined zones
• The extreme opposite of endemism is cosmopolitan distribution
• Endemic types or species are especially likely to develop on biologically isolated
areas such as islands because of their geographical isolation
• Endemics can easily become endangered or extinct if their restricted habitat
changes, particularly but not only due to human actions, including the introduction
of new organisms
• Endemics define the uniqueness of an area or plant communities
Endemic and threatened species
Threatened species:
• Species facing different types of threat either natural or man-made and
could soon become extinct in all or most of its natural range
• Threatened species are any species (including animals, plants, fungi, etc.)
which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future
• The World Conservation Union (IUCN) is the foremost authority on
threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category,
but as a group of different categories, depending on the degree to which they
are threatened
Endemic and threatened
Threatened species
species: IUCN criteria
1. Extinct (EX)
2. Extinct in the Wild (EW)
3. Critically Endangered (CR)
4. Endangered (EN)
Threatened
5. Vulnerable (VU)
6. Near Threatened (NT)
7. Least Concern (LC)
8. Data Deficient (DD)
9. Not Evaluated (NE)
Thanks
