I believe that keystone is an older term, that has now
been replaced by "indicator species". Which is,
usually, a predator at the top of its food chain (of
any family, mammalian, avian or reptile, because
predators are most affected by habitat and prey
change,) that, by its populations' health, gives a
window into the health of a whole ecosystem.

As far as I know, a keynote is an address (speech),
and has nothing to do with biology, but I may be wrong
:). I don't know first hand of habitats being known
has "keynote". But that term may just be new to me...


Cheers,

Liz Donelan
Olympia, WA


--- JLRosso at aol.com wrote:
> I am trying to determine if there are two separate
> terms: keystone and
> keynote. A keystone species is one that if it were
> removed from a habitat the
> habitat would experience a strong change. The
> Alligator in the Everglades is
> mentioned as an example of a keystone.
> I remember keynote species as being a species that
> represents the health of a
> particular habitat. I think of Common Yellowthroats
> as being a keynote
> species of a marsh habitat. Surfgrass is defined as
> a keynote species because
> it plays a strong role and is sensitive to change.
>
(http://www.ocnms.nos.noaa.gov/LivingSanctuary/plants/surfgrass.html)
> Are
> keynote and keystone the same?
> Can anybody mention a good reference that I can go
> to?
>
> Thanks
>
> Jim Rosso
> Sammamish
> jlrosso at aol.com


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