When conservation recommendations and laws are made, umbrella species are used in order to create generalized decisions. Umbrella species are a wide range of animal and plant species that have similar requirements to many other species in the same habitat. In ensuring the protection of these organisms, other plant and animal species in the same area are usually protected as well.
The use of umbrella species is designed to make the conservation and environmental decision-making process easier. With so many millions of diverse forms of wildlife requiring monitoring and protection, it can be difficult to assess the individual needs of every single species. Also known as keystone species or flagship species, umbrella species help leaders and scientists determine which locations will make the best land reserves and ensure the protection of the most abundant species.
In addition to selecting areas for protection, umbrella species have other scientific uses. The composition and structure of an ecosystem can be assessed by a flagship species. Various plant, insect, bird, mammal, and reptile species can be used in order to discover the processes involved within a single habitat as well. Size needs of a conservation area can also be determined by a keystone species.
Sometimes scientists use keystone species in order to determine the variations of different organism populations genetically in a limited area. These differences can be compared with populations in other areas, which can help establish useful conservation guidelines. A single species can also help establish a pattern of ecological diversity, a vital component in maintaining an entire ecosystem.
While it is a general consensus that protecting an umbrella species will automatically provide protection to other surrounding organisms, much debate surrounds the practice of using a single species to determine the needs of others. Scientists against the theory suggest that multiple tools need to be utilized in managing entire ecosystems. They claim that the majority of plants and animals cannot be appraised by just one species. A popular alternative approach includes analyzing ecosystem and landscape patterns, as well as other higher levels of organization.
Umbrella species theories have, however, helped establish protection for many different organisms. By using a single species of invertebrates, leaders have been able to protect whole ecosystems. Protection of a flagship species has also been proven to be beneficial for plants and animals in surrounding areas as well. Reserves that have protected bird species, such as the spotted owl, have also protected nearby amphibian and reptile species, including the salamander. Protecting certain mammal species, such as the tiger, has led to the conservation of other lifeforms as well.
