What role does an oyster play in the ecosystem to be considered a Keystone Species?

Question

What role does an oyster play in the ecosystem to be considered a Keystone Species?

Answer 1

If you look closely enough all species are keystone species. We just don't always have the understanding to know why.

Answer 2

Intertidal oysters are described as “keystone” species as they play a critical role in maintaining a healthy coastal ecosystem. Georgia’s oyster populations were once immense, however overfishing, habitat degradation, and disease have considerably impacted these estuarine communities.

- Dense populations of oysters can significantly improving water clarity and quality by filtering algae and pollutants.

- Intertidal reefs provide hard substrate in the otherwise soft muddy substrates of Georgia’s estuaries for oyster larvae and other organisms to settle, attach to and grow.

- Intertidal reefs provide spawning, breeding, feeding and nursery habitat for many other commercial, recreational, and sport species that are ecologically important to the region.

- Georgia has approximately one third of the remaining coastal salt marshes on the East Coast of the U.S. Intertidal oyster reefs protect these marshes against shoreline erosion by dissipating the energy caused by boat wakes and waves.

- Oysters are an important food source for humans and many other animals.

Answer 3

Oysters are like the parakeet in the mine.  Scientist are able to study them to see the changes in the oceans.

Answer 4

A "keystone" species is just like the "keystone" in a building... if it is removed or wiped out, the building, or in this case ecosystem, will crumble and fall.

Answer 5

oysters filter the water this is a verry important job. Thier filtering greatly reduces the amount of pollutants in the water, they also provide a food source for many animals, also they provide a hard substrate which reduces turbidity and provides habbitat for many benthic organisms