Derek P.

There seem to be many opinions on the definition of keystone species and what entails a species falling under this classification. They seem to all agree that a species' overall influence on an ecosystem is one of the characteristics that makes a species keystone or not. I believe that humans are keystone, the effect we have on the environment and the consequences of our vacancy would be profound. We have domesticated hundreds of animals that would perish with out us, while at the same time other species would move up the food chain and propagate their numbers. However I think it is a egocentric for us to label ourselves the "greatest keystone species" of all. While it is true our impact to the world is far reaching there are other species that may be just as important or more important to the world's ecosystem as we are. For example it is estimated that 80% of the world's oxygen is produced by single celled marine algae, without it we would not exist, nor would many other oxygen requiring species. If algae disappeared, so would most of the known ecosystem. So while human's footprint is large and getting larger, I would have to disagree that we are the greatest keystone species, at least for now.

Proof that humans are keystone species?