The Ten Principles of Ecological Restoration...

PRINCIPLE SIX

Pay particular attention to “keystone” species

In conservation biology, a keystone specie is one that plays a central, often critical role in ecosystems, and upon which many other species depend. If an ecosystem can be returned to a state in which a keystone specie flourishes, it will have a beneficial cascading impact on all other species that depend on it. The beaver is a prime example of a mammalian keystone species. This concept can also apply to entire habitats, such as vernal pools.