Stage 1 Biology- SHE Task 572052T

Kimberly Ncube

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics- Keystone Species

A keystone species is an organism, that does not always have to be the largest or most abundant
that without its place in an environment would have a large consequence on its surroundings. There
are different types of keystone species that influence the environment in different ways, the three
key ones are; predator, mutualist and ecosystem engineers (Denchak, 2019). Sea otters are
described as a keystone species because of their ability to eat sea urchins and sea urchins that would
devour kelp forests if their populations were not controlled. (Bardroff, 2019) The aspect that this
report will be addressing will be how scientific knowledge and understanding can enable scientist to
develop solutions and design action for sustainability.

The most critical characteristic of a keystone species is that it has a role that no other species can
take, and without it the whole species would change or collapse entirely. The sea otter’s role is
important for the stability of coastline marine life. Sea otters live on the coasts of the northern and
eastern North Pacific Ocean. Their diets consist of aquatic creatures as sea urchins, crabs, squid,
octopuses, and fish. Otters will place the rock on their chests, and repeatedly smash the shellfish
against it until it breaks open to reveal the meal inside. The sea otter’s ability to be the only species
that eats sea urchins, which if they over-populate would have a drastic
effect of the growth of kelp and can sweep a lot of the floor of kelp. Herds
of sea urchin can destroy meters of sea kelp and leaver the ocean floor
barren. Kelp is important in an ecosystem because it is primary producer as
a plant is creates its food from the sun through photosynthesis and
provides food and shelter for many organisms in the sea life while also
absorbing large amounts of harmful carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
It is the main plant producer in the ecosystem and without sea otter to get
rid of sea urchin and would have a domino effect on the food web (Dooley,
2019).

Human activities have had a particularly negative effect on sea otters years ago but as people have
become more educated about the importance of keystone species, people are working to protect
the species. Sea otters were in high demand because they are an animal with very soft and dense
fur. In the 1820s sea otters were hunted to near extinction in California, they were hunted for their
fur to the point of near extinction. At this time in the early 19th century where only 1,000 to 2,000
otters remaining in the world. The sea urchin population boomed because they were no longer
being preyed on. There were areas near California where healthy kelp forests grew that have

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Stage 1 Biology- SHE Task 572052T

Kimberly Ncube

become bare because of the increase in urchins. Many organisms that rely on kelp as a food source
died out without sufficient supply, these areas now have very low biodiversity. However, due to the
ban of sea otter hunting in the U.S. in 1911, sea otters are slowly recovering in California (Perlin,
2019). The acceptance of this scientific knowledge influenced the economic and ethical
considerations of how hunting sea otter for fur affected the ecosystems.

Scientific knowledge through research on marine biology has helped scientist develop solution and
evaluate social and environmental impact on ecosystems. Sea otters are still classified as an
endangered species. Scientists say that up to 40% of the deaths of sea otters are due to human
pollution. Some steps have been developed to create solutions for the threatened species, in 2006,
Defenders of Wildlife passed legislation in California to establish the California Sea Otter Fund for
sea otter research through a voluntary tax donation. These funds are used to for scientific research
and public education benefiting sea otters (Trupp, 2019).

Therefore, using environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, recycling and not contributing to plastic
in the oceans and donations to causes such as the California Sea Otter Fund are ways to help save
the sea otters, so they can continue to provide life for many of the organisms in the sea (Awesome
Ocean, 2019). Sea otter are such an important keystone species and without them so many
organisms would be affected in a negative way. The preservation of these animals is highly
important for maintaining local biodiversity within their community by controlling populations of
other species that would otherwise dominate the community and destroy other organisms. Human
impact has previously been damaging to sea otter, but now with technology and advancement in
scientific knowledge people are now able to help save the otter and slowly help them flourish once
again.

References:

Awesome Ocean. (2019). 12 Ways You Can Help Sea Otters. [online] Available at:
http://awesomeocean.com/top-stories/12-ways-can-help-sea-otters/ [Accessed 1 Nov. 2019].

Bardroff, J. (2019). If These 8 Species Go Extinct, Entire Ecosystems Will Disappear. [online] One
Green Planet. Available at: https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/if-these-species-go-
entire-ecosystems-will-disappear/ [Accessed 27 Oct. 2019].

Denchak, M. (2019). Keystone Species 101. [online] NRDC. Available at:

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/keystone-species-101 [Accessed 27 Oct. 2019].

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Stage 1 Biology- SHE Task 572052T

Kimberly Ncube

Dooley, W. (2019). Ecology of Seaweed and Its Environmental Significance | CCBER. [online]
Ccber.ucsb.edu. Available at: https://www.ccber.ucsb.edu/collections-botanical-collections-
algae/ecology-seaweed-and-its-environmental-significance [Accessed 31 Oct. 2019].

McKie, R. (2019). How sea otters help saves the planet. [online] the Guardian. Available at:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/10/sea-otters-global-warming-trophic-
cascades-food-chain-kelp [Accessed 31 Oct. 2019].

Seaotters.com. (2013). Why are Sea Otters Important? No Sea Otters. No Kelp Forests. |
SeaOtters.com. [online] Available at: https://seaotters.com/2013/05/why-are-sea-otters-important-
no-sea-otters-no-kelp-forests/ [Accessed 31 Oct. 2019].

Trupp, T. (2019). Sea Otter. [online] Defenders of Wildlife. Available at:

https://defenders.org/wildlife/sea-otter [Accessed 1 Nov. 2019].

Perlin, R. (2019). Why would anyone want to shoot a sea otter? | Ross Perlin. [online] the Guardian.
Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/10/why-would-anyone-want-to-shoot-
a-sea-otter [Accessed 1 Nov. 2019].

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