The Keystone Species

There are three main types of species that I am going to identify for a coral reef. First and foremost, a keystone species. Keystone species are those that maintain the "status quo" of the ecosystem, such that if they were removed the ecosystem would be at risk of drastic changes, which could ultimately destroy the ecosystem. One keystone species of a coral reef that I would like to identify is the shark. The shark eats carnivorous fish, and without this regulation the population of herbivorous fish that eat algae and plankton would decrease. This causes an increase in algae which outcompete corals. Without corals, well, there would be no coral reef.