juhtorganismi
Juhtorganismi is a term used in Estonian ecology to refer to an organism that exerts a disproportionate influence on the structure or functioning of its ecological community. In practice, it denotes a species or a functional group whose presence or activity shapes resource distribution, habitat structure, and interspecific interactions more than would be expected from its abundance alone. The concept is closely related to, but not always identical with, keystone species and ecosystem engineers.
Role and characteristics: A juhtorganismi can regulate energy flow, modify the environment, or alter interaction networks
Identification methods: Long-term observational data, manipulative experiments, and network analyses are used to assess influence. Criteria
Examples: In temperate kelp forests, sea otters act as a juhtorganismi by controlling herbivore populations and
Relation to policy and conservation: Protecting a juhtorganismi can have cascading benefits for entire ecosystems, but