In ecology and conservation, what term is given to a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its natural environment relative to its abundance, often critical to maintaining the structure of an ecological community?

💡 Explanation:

A keystone species is an organism that plays a unique and crucial role in the way an ecosystem functions. Without keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. Examples include sea otters, wolves, and starfish.