- Indicator Species
- contain a trait ➡️ overall health of environment ➡️ determined
- degree of damage by anthropogenic activities
- how much natural integrity is left in the ecosystem
Examples
- most birds
- most top carnivores
- most amphibians
- most migrating species
- most invertebrates (70%)
Specific Examples
- Lichens ➡️ discolouration in SO2 rich atmosphere
- Canary ➡️ die in CO
- Mollusc ➡️ die in polluted waters
- Mayflies / Stoneflies ➡️ found in polluted waters
- Salmon fish ➡️ fresh / marine water → both required
- Turtle ➡️ gender dependent on temp → indicator of global warming
- Absence of blackspot fungus in Rose ➡️ ⬆️ SO2
- Peregrine Falcon ➡️ popn dec. → if pesticide in plants
- Crayfish ➡️ indicates fresh water quality
- Atlantic puffin ➡️ indicates ocean salinity → overall health of ocean
- Greasewood ➡️ saline soil
- Mosses ➡️ doesn’t grow in acidic soil
- Tubiflex worm ➡️ ↓ dissolved O2 in water
- Corals ➡️
siltation | salinity | transparency
- Algal Bloom ➡️ Eutrophication