Extinction of a keystone species led to loss of biodiversity. Justify.

Explanation

(i) Keystone species are those which have an extremely high impact on a particular ecosystem relative to its population. They are critical for the overall structure and function of an ecosystem and influence other and plants and animals that make up that ecosystem. Thus is the absence of a keystone species, many ecosystems will fail to exist.
(ii) Predator-prey relationship is an important example. Small Predators that consume herbivorous from destroying the plant species in the ecosystem and are thus considered as keystone species.
(iii) If the number of predators were to decrease, the herbivore population would increase and the plant species in the ecosystem may perish very fast. In turn the other organism dependent on plants may also be impacted.
(iv) Thus extinction of a keystone species will lead to loss of biodiversity. Eg. sea otter is considered to organisms is near shore ecosystem. These are fed by sea urcins. The Otters feed an Sea Urchins. In the absence of Otters, the sea urchins will destroy the Kelps forest which is turn will impact several other organisms and lead to loss of biodiversity in the ecosystem.