keystone species

The 2025 Science Without Borders® Challenge is now open, inviting young artists from around the globe to participate. This year’s theme, “Marine Keystone Species,” highlights plants and animals whose existence is essential to the health and balance of marine ecosystems.

Why Focus on Marine Keystone Species?
A keystone species plays a critical role in its ecosystem, much like the keystone in an arch. The ecosystem could collapse without these species, much like an arch would crumble without its keystone. These species aren’t necessarily the most abundant or the largest, but their impact is profound. In the ocean, they might be a coral, a predatory fish, or even a specific type of algae, each playing a unique and irreplaceable role in their habitat.