How Free Divers Become Keystone Species

Blue Hearts are swimmers, floaters, divers & boaters. And the most daring ones are freedivers. Meet Leina Sato. The Japanese city girl who became a free diver when living in Paris. She wanted the whales to meet her unborn baby and made a film about it.

Leina Sato is definitely a keystone species. She defines a whole ecosystem with her projects. First by making the film. Then by going back to Japan to raise awareness about whales being keystone species too.

Japanese people need to know. Japanese people need to care.

What is a keystone species?

"A keystone species is an organism that helps define an entire ecosystem. By keeping populations of mussels and barnacles in check, this sea star helps ensure healthy populations of seaweeds and the communities that feed on them—sea urchins, sea snails, limpets, and bivalves. Pisaster ochraceus sea stars like this one were the first animals to be identified as keystone species." - National Geographic.

They are never the biggest species. Or the most abundant. But they have a huge influence on the food web. Other well-known keystone species are whales, otters, wolves, and bees.

Read the full National Geographic article about keystone species in an ecosystem.