Patrick H Saldaña, Christine Angelini, Mark D Bertness, Andrew H Altieri
{"title":"Dead foundation species drive ecosystem dynamics.","authors":"Patrick H Saldaña, Christine Angelini, Mark D Bertness, Andrew H Altieri","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2023.10.003","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Foundation species facilitate communities, modulate energy flow, and define ecosystems, but their ecological roles after death are frequently overlooked. Here, we reveal the widespread importance of their dead structures as unique, interacting components of ecosystems that are vulnerable to global change. Key metabolic activity, mobility, and morphology traits of foundation species either change or persist after death with important consequences for ecosystem functions, biodiversity, and subsidy dynamics. Dead foundation species frequently mediate ecosystem stability, resilience, and transitions, often through feedbacks, and harnessing their structural and trophic roles can improve restoration outcomes. Enhanced recognition of dead foundation species and their incorporation into habitat monitoring, ecological theory, and ecosystem forecasting can help solve the escalating conservation challenges of the Anthropocene.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"294-305"},"PeriodicalIF":16.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Trends in ecology & evolution","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2023.10.003","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2023/11/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ECOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Foundation species facilitate communities, modulate energy flow, and define ecosystems, but their ecological roles after death are frequently overlooked. Here, we reveal the widespread importance of their dead structures as unique, interacting components of ecosystems that are vulnerable to global change. Key metabolic activity, mobility, and morphology traits of foundation species either change or persist after death with important consequences for ecosystem functions, biodiversity, and subsidy dynamics. Dead foundation species frequently mediate ecosystem stability, resilience, and transitions, often through feedbacks, and harnessing their structural and trophic roles can improve restoration outcomes. Enhanced recognition of dead foundation species and their incorporation into habitat monitoring, ecological theory, and ecosystem forecasting can help solve the escalating conservation challenges of the Anthropocene.
期刊介绍：
Trends in Ecology & Evolution (TREE) is a comprehensive journal featuring polished, concise, and readable reviews, opinions, and letters in all areas of ecology and evolutionary science. Catering to researchers, lecturers, teachers, field workers, and students, it serves as a valuable source of information. The journal keeps scientists informed about new developments and ideas across the spectrum of ecology and evolutionary biology, spanning from pure to applied and molecular to global perspectives. In the face of global environmental change, Trends in Ecology & Evolution plays a crucial role in covering all significant issues concerning organisms and their environments, making it a major forum for life scientists.
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