Mrs. Hicks: 5th Grade 😎

KEYSTONE SPECIES

INVESTIGATE: How can a single species in an ecosystem affect the whole food web?

Wolves of Yellowstone | EARTH A New Wild | PBS LearningMediaGray wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park in 1995, which have since resulted in a trophic cascade through the entire ecosystem. After the wolves were driven extinct in the region nearly 100 years ago, scientists began to fully understand their role in the food web as a keystone species.

The Discovery of Keystone Species | The Serengeti Rules | PBS LearningMediaIn the 1960s, a young scientist named Bob Paine manipulated the small ecosystems in tidepools of the Pacific Northwest. Learn how this simple experiment led to a revolutionary discovery with videos from NATURE: The Serengeti Rules. By removing certain species from the tidepools and observing the results, Paine discovered that some species are more important in maintaining a balanced ecosystem than others. He called these species “keystones” because they hold communities of plants and animals together. Support materials include discussion questions, vocabulary, and a “Keystone Web” activity. For more resources from NATURE, check out the collection page.

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