Determination of keystone species in CSM food web: A topological analysis of network structure

Abstract

The importance of a species is correlated with its topological properties in a food web. Studies of keystone species provide the valuable theory and evidence for conservation ecology, biodiversity, habitat management, as well as the dynamics and stability of the ecosystem. Comparing with biological experiments, network methods based on topological structure possess particular advantage in the identification of keystone species. In present study, we quantified the relative importance of species in Carpinteria Salt Marsh food web by analyzing five centrality indices. The results showed that there were large differences in rankings species in terms of different centrality indices. Moreover, the correlation analysis of those centralities was studied in order to enhance the identifying ability of keystone species. The results showed that the combination of degree centrality and closeness centrality could better identify keystone species, and the keystone species in the CSM food web were identified as, Stictodora hancocki, small cyathocotylid, Pygidiopsoides spindalis, Phocitremoides ovale and Parorchis acanthus.

Keywords

• keystone species
• topological parameters
• centrality indices
• biological networks