Ecosystem engineers—ranging from keystone species like elephants and beavers to foundation species like mangroves and coral reefs—fundamentally shape ...

To test if a single gene could affect an entire ecosystem, a research team conducted a lab experiment with a plant and its associated ecosystem of insects. They found that plants with a mutation at a ...

Ecologists have long understood food chains. The animal at the top, the prime predator in an ecosystem, was believed to be the most significant. That predator helped keep their prey in check. That ...

Wetlands, as critical "ecological kidneys" of the earth, perform irreplaceable functions such as water purification, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity ...

Nature’s contribution to people (NCP) is critical to human well-being, so understanding the ways that the decline of biodiversity and ecosystems is influencing NCP is critical for protecting and ...

Rare and powerful compounds, known as keystone molecules, can build a web of invisible interactions among species. The biological world is awash in chemical signals. Ants lead their nest mates to food ...

Ecosystem restoration projects aim to restore biodiversity and associated compromised ecosystem services. Evidence is persuasive of the increased risks of zoonotic diseases with degradation and ...

Land-use intensification can increase provisioning ecosystem services, such as food and timber production, but it also drives changes in ecosystem functioning and biodiversity loss, which may ...