Different types of Species 

Keystone species

Species which determine the ability of a large number of other species to survive. Extinction of keystone species has snowballing effect on extinction of other species.

Examples of keystone species: Bees > pollination of fruits and flowers, Plankton > food of many fishes

Flagship species

• a species selected to act as an icon or symbol for a defined habitat campaign or environmental cause
• By focusing on, and achieving conservation of that species, the status of many other species which share its habitat – or are vulnerable to the same threats – may also be improved.

Umbrella species

• Species selected for making conservation related decisions
• Typically because protecting these species indirectly protects the many other species that make up the ecological community of its habitat

Indicator species

• a species or group of species chosen as an indicator of the state of an ecosystem or of certain processes within that ecosystem.
• can be among the most sensitive species in a region, and sometimes act as an early warning to monitoring biologists

Charismatic megafauna

• large animal species with widespread popular appeal
• environmental activists uses them to achieve environmentalist goals

Sentinel species

• Species which are sensitive indicator of environmental problems. For ex. frogs, toads, salamander, vultures
• Frogs breath through their moist skin, which is very sensitive to pollutants in environment
• a rapid decline in the population of frogs thus would indicate a looming environmental problem.

Non-native species

• Non-native species have no predators or competitors to control their population in new area hence they destroy a vast range of plants & reduced the forest area.
• Rats of several species were unintended stowaways on oceanic voyages, and thus spread around the world.
• Infected humans took human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which caused aids from Africa to the rest of the world.

Sacred Groves of India

• Communally + NGO protected forests which usually have a significant religious connotation for the protecting community for ex. Myristica swaps of Kerala
• Their water holding capacity is immense and thus their depletion can lead to floods in rains and dry valley in other seasons
• Hunting and logging are usually strictly prohibited but other forms of forest usage like honey collection and deadwood collection are sometimes allowed on a sustainable basis.
• Sacred groves did not enjoy legal protection in India until the introduction of the protected area category community reserves under the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act of 2002.

Vultures and Diclofenac

• Diclofenac is a painkiller medicine used mostly for arthritis in humans & Veterinary Diclofenac is used on cattle, as painkiller, stopping inflammation and fever
• When Animals are treated with Diclofenac, this drug keeps accumulating in their body. When these animals die, Vultures eat them – kidney failure – death of vulture
• Less vultures – more dead animals for dogs to eat – dog population increases – more problem of rabies.
• Vulture’s digestive system can destroy many parasites, but dog’s digestive system cannot. Hence dogs who eat dead animals are more disease carriers than vultures
• Hence Government of India banned veterinary Diclofenac, now farmers use Meloxicam drugs instead of Diclofenac.

Blue whales

• Largest mammals on Earth (Elephents are the largest mammals on land only)
• International whaling commission (IWC) was set up in 1946 to fix hunting quota of whales for the countries but Since 1980s IWC called for a halt on whale poaching
• Japan, Norway and Ireland are major countries that still continue to indulge in whale hunting & are unhappy with IWC and CITES restrictions.

Warm blooded animals

• have a body temperature that stays constant no matter what the outside temperature is;
• they have to take in a lot of food every day to create enough energy to maintain that temperature.
• Birds, Mammals

Cold-blooded animals

• have a body temperature that changes depending on the temperature of their surroundings.
• Cold-blooded animals are more active when the temperature is warm.
• In colder temperatures, they become sluggish, sometimes going into a sleep-like state called dormancy.
• Because they don’t have to maintain a steady body temperature, cold-blooded animals can go much longer without food than warm-blooded animal
• Fishes, amphibians & reptiles

Vertebrate

• an animal that has a spine, or backbone
• mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes
• are the most advanced organisms on Earth

Invertebrates

• animals that do not have backbones, such as insects like butterflies and grasshoppers, spiders, and worms.
• Most of the animals on Earth are actually invertebrates, comprising 95 per cent of animal species.

Mammals

• warm blooded vertebrate animal, distinguished by the possession of hair or fur
• females secrete milk for the nourishment of the young
• Humans, whales, elephants, horses, dogs, bats

Amphibians

• cold-blooded vertebrates that live on land and in water,
• fertilization is typically external, meaning that the sperm and egg join outside of the female’s body,
• lay unprotected eggs (without shell like chicken egg) in water or moist damp places
• Frogs, toads, salamanders, Caecilians, newts

Reptiles

• Cold blooded vertebrates whose bodies are covered by scales.
• Most reptiles lay eggs, similar to birds. Many reptiles do not look after their offspring.
• Unlike mammal’s offspring, young reptiles are equipped to survive without parental care
• snakes, crocodiles and alligators, turtles, chameleon, lizards

Anarchids

• invertebrate characterized by simple eyes and four pairs of legs
• spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, harvestmen

Mollusk

• an invertebrate of a large phylum which includes snails, slugs, mussels, Squids and octopuses.
• They have a soft body & live in aquatic or damp habitats, and most kinds have an external calcareous shell.

Bacteria

• Non chlorophylls microorganisms which lead saprophytic or parasitic existence

Algae

• Green non-differentiated plant (non-differentiated into organs like root, stem & leaf) possessing chlorophyll,
• generally, grow in moist conditions (Autotrophic plants i.e. can manufacture their own food)

Fungi

• Non green, non-differentiated plant characterized by total absence of chlorophyll,
• grow either on dead, rotten organic matters as saprophytes or live as parasites on other living bodies (referred as hosts) ex. Mushroom & Mould

Lichens

• A peculiar combination of an algae & a fungus (Greyish green plants)
• Lives in symbiosis as algae produce carbohydrates for fungus & fungus absorbs & retains water, keeping algal cell moist.

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