What Makes a Keystone Species
A keystone species has an outsized effect on its ecosystem relative to its population — remove it, and the whole community changes. The American alligator is considered one of the clearest examples in North American wetlands.
Digging Water Refuges
Alligators dig deep depressions in wetland mud, called alligator holes, using their bodies and tails — these pits retain water even during severe droughts, when surrounding marshland dries out completely.
A Lifeline for Other Species
During drought, alligator holes become vital refuges for fish, turtles, birds, and countless other wetland species that would otherwise have nowhere to go until the rains return.
Shaping the Landscape Over Time
Long-used alligator holes can persist for years, gradually shaping local vegetation patterns and creating microhabitats that influence the broader wetland ecosystem around them.
A Case for Protecting the Whole Species
Because alligators support so many other species indirectly, their recovery after near-extinction is credited with helping restore broader wetland health across the southeastern United States.
