What is an umbrella species?
1 Answer
Umbrella species is a species that have either large habitat needs or other requirements whose conservation results in many other species being conserved at the ecosystem level.
Explanation:
Umbrella species are 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.
The negative effects of humans on wild animals and plants have necessitated the need for strict regulation and protection. The endangered species who are in danger of becoming extinct are also conserved in order to preserve life span. Species can be conserved directly or can benefit from the conservation of other species around it. The conservation of some species may require that other species around it also be conserved, resulting in an umbrella effect.
These species can be used to help select the locations of potential reserves and to determine the composition, structure, and process of ecosystems. Umbrella species is a faster and less expensive means of conservation since it reduces the cost of investment in sampling that is necessary for prioritising an area for conservation.
For example, the Amur Tigers of Russian Far East are considered umbrella/keystone species due to their impact on the deer and boar in their ecosystems.
