Cultural Keystone Species: Implications for Ecological Conservation and Restoration

Abstract

Ecologists have long recognized that some by virtue of the key roles they play in the overall structure and functioning of an ecosystem, are essential to its integrity; these are known as keystone species. Similarly, in human cultures everywhere, there are plants and animals that form the contextual underpinnings of a culture, as reflected in their fundamental roles in diet, as materials, or in medicine. In addition, these species often feature prominently in the language, ceremonies, and narratives of native peoples and can be considered icons. Without these cultural keystone species, the societies they support would be completely different. An obvious example is western red-cedar (Thuja plicata) for Northwest Coast cultures of North America. Often prominent elements of local ecosystems, keystone species may be used and harvested in large quantities and intensively managed for quality and productivity. Given that biological conservation and ecological restoration embody human cultures as crucial components, one approach that may improve success in overall conservation or restoration efforts is to recognize and focus on keystone species. In this paper, we explore the concept of keystone describe similarities to and differences from ecological keystone present examples from First Nations cultures of British Columbia, and discuss the application of this concept in ecological restoration and conservation initiatives.