Dictionary.com
definitions

indicator species

noun

See at indicator(def 6).
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
indicator species in Science

indicator species

A species whose presence, absence, or relative well-being in a given environment is a sign of the overall health of its ecosystem. By monitoring the condition and behavior of an indicator species, scientists can determine how changes in the environment are likely to affect other species that are more difficult to study. Compare keystone species.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.