A keystone species is a species, usually of wildlife, that has a disproportionate effect on its environment. In our region, the classic example of this is the beaver.
Beavers dam and flood fields and forests, essentially creating, or driving, their own natural disturbance events. Besides making great habitat for themselves, they support a whole ecosystem, home to many reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, plants and more.
I watched him marching across the back field, chest puffed up like a proud warrior returning from a victorious battle. His long wings dragged on both sides, and he strutted with all the bravissimo of a young matador.
Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge Discovery Day
If you’ve been walking through the woods this late summer, you’ve probably noticed acorns in the treetops, hanging from low branches, littering the ground. Acorns, the fruit of oak trees, are the most visible of our tree seeds, but they’re just one example of “mast.”