Key Ecological Functions (KEF) Definitions

Definitions or explanations of Key Ecological Functions (KEF) fields as used in the Key Ecological Functions Matrixes.

1) Trophic relationships
2) Aids in physical transfer of substances for nutrient cycling
3) Organismal relationships
4) Carrier, transmitter, or reservoir of vertebrate diseases
5) Soil relationships
6) Wood structure relationships
7) Water relationships
8) Vegetation structure and composition relationships

1)   TROPHIC RELATIONSHIPS

1.1   heterotrophic consumer   - an organism that is unable to manufacture its own food and must feed on other organisms

1.1.1   primary consumer   - herbivore; an organism that feeds primarily on plant material (also see below under Herbivory)

1.1.1.1   foliovore   - leaf eater
1.1.1.2   spermivore   - seed eater
1.1.1.3   browser   - leaf, stem eater
1.1.1.4   grazer   - grass, forb eater
1.1.1.5   frugivore   - fruit eater
1.1.1.6   sap feeder
1.1.1.7   root feeders
1.1.1.8   nectivore   - nectar feeder
1.1.1.9   fungivore   - fungus feeder
1.1.1.10   flower/bud/catkin feeder
1.1.1.11   aquatic herbivore
1.1.1.12   feeds in water on decomposing benthic substrate   - benthic is the lowermost zone of a water body
1.1.1.13   bark/cambium/bole feeder

1.1.2   secondary consumer   - primary predator or primary carnivore; a carnivore that preys on other vertebrate or invertebrate animals, primarily herbivores

1.1.2.1   invertebrate eater

1.1.2.1.1   terrestrial invertebrates
1.1.2.1.2   aquatic macroinvertebrates (e.g., not plankton)
1.1.2.1.3   freshwater or marine zooplankton

1.1.2.2   vertebrate eater   - consumer or predator of herbivorous vertebrates

1.1.2.2.1   piscivorous   - fish eater

1.1.2.3   ovivorous   - egg eater

1.1.3   tertiary consumer   - secondary predator or secondary carnivore; a carnivore that preys on other carnivores
1.1.4   carrion feeder   - feeds on dead animals
1.1.5   cannibalistic   - eats members of its own species
1.1.6   coprophagous   - feeds on fecal material
1.1.7   feeds on human garbage/refuse

1.1.7.1   aquatic (e.g., offal and bycatch of fishing boats)
1.1.7.2   terrestrial (e.g., garbage cans, landfills)

1.2   prey relationships

1.2.1   prey for secondary or tertiary consumer   - primary or secondary predator

2*)   AIDS IN PHYSICAL TRANSFER OF SUBSTANCES FOR NUTRIENT CYCLING (C,N,P, etc.)

3)   ORGANISMAL RELATIONSHIPS

3.1   potentially controls or depresses insect population peaks
3.2   controls terrestrial vertebrate populations (through predation or displacement)
3.3   pollination vector
3.4   transportation of viable seeds, spores, plants, or animals (through ingestion, caching, caught in hair or mud on feet etc.)

3.4.1   disperses fungi
3.4.2   disperses lichens
3.4.3   disperses bryophytes, including mosses
3.4.4   disperses insects and other invertebrates (phoresis)
3.4.5   disperses seeds/fruits (through ingestion or caching)
3.4.6   disperses vascular plants

3.5   creates feeding, roosting, denning, or nesting opportunities for other organisms

3.5.1   creates feeding opportunities (other than direct prey relations)

3.5.1.1   creates sapwells in trees

3.5.2   creates roosting, denning, or nesting opportunities

3.6   primary creation of structures (possibly used by other organisms)

3.6.1   aerial structures   - typically large raptor or squirrel stick or leaf nests in trees or on platforms, or barn swallow/cliff swallow nests
3.6.2   ground structures   - above-ground, non-aquatic nests and dens and other substrates, such as woodrat middens, nesting mounds of swans
3.6.3   aquatic structures   - muskrat lodges, beaver dams

3.7   user of structures created by other species

3.7.1   aerial structures   - typically large raptor or squirrel stick or leaf nests in trees or on platforms, or barn swallow/cliff swallow nests
3.7.2   ground structures   - above-ground, non-aquatic nests and dens and other substrates, such as woodrat middens, nesting mounds of swans, for example
3.7.3   aquatic structures   - muskrat lodges, beaver dams

3.8   nest parasite

3.8.1   interspecies parasite   - commonly lays eggs in nests of other species
3.8.2   common interspecific host   - parasitized by other species

3.9   primary cavity excavator in snags or live trees   - organisms able to excavate their own cavities
3.10   secondary cavity user   - organisms that do not excavate their own cavities and depend on primary cavity excavators or natural cavities

3.11.1   creates large burrows (rabbit-sized or larger)
3.11.2   creates small burrows (less than rabbit-sized)

3.12   uses burrows dug by other species   - secondary burrow user
3.13   creates runways (possibly used by other species; runways typically are worn paths in dense vegetation)
3.14   uses runways created by other species
3.15   pirates food from other species
3.16*   interspecific hybridization   - species known to regularly interbreed

4*)   CARRIER, TRANSMITTER, OR RESERVOIR OF VERTEBRATE DISEASES

4.1   diseases that affect humans
4.2   diseases that affect domestic animals
4.3   diseases that affect other wildlife species

5)   SOIL RELATIONSHIPS

5.1   physically affects (improves) soil structure, aeration (typically by digging)
5.2   physically affects (degrades) soil structure, aeration (typically by trampling)

6)   WOOD STRUCTURE RELATIONSHIPS(either living or dead wood)

6.1   physically fragments down wood
6.2   physically fragments standing wood

7)   WATER RELATIONSHIPS

7.1   impounds water by creating diversions or dams
7.2   creates ponds or wetlands through wallowing

8)   VEGETATION STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION RELATIONSHIPS

8.1   creates standing dead trees   - snags
8.2   herbivory on trees or shrubs that may alter vegetation structure and composition   - browsers
8.3   herbivory on grasses or forbs that may alter vegetation structure and composition   - grazers

* These KEF categories only partially specified in database; additional review and refinement is needed.