To monitor the biodiversity of an ecosystem, based on integrity of the selected keystone species within that ecosystem. Monitoring keystone species populations, such as beavers, mountain lion, maple or aspen, can be a proxy as an indication of the state of genetic diversity within an ecosystem. More often than not, monitoring all populations in an ecosystem is not feasible, so tracking a keystone species can act as a proxy for all other species in that ecosystem. The keystone species must be carefully selected.