Some animals matter so much to their ecosystems that losing them is like removing the keystone from an arch—the entire ...

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 ...

MUNCIE, Ind. – Keystone species are plants, animals, or fungi that significantly impact the environment. When talking about plants, these species can be home to many native insects and other animals.

What do bison, beaver, wolves and sea otters all have in common? They're keystone species. That means they have an outsized impact on their ecosystem. It took humans driving some of these to near ...

Ecologists have long understood that the diversity of an ecosystem is at the heart of its stability. A groundbreaking discovery in the 1960s took it a step further and changed the way scientists ...

Salmon have always held a fascination for me that is difficult to express. They are, at the very least, majestic. I began my love affair with them 40 years ago when I learned to fly fish and tie flies ...

Many gardeners know the key role milkweed (Asclepias) plays in bringing back declining numbers of monarch butterflies. But other species of Lepidoptera, other butterflies and moths need help, too.

Basic ecology uses simple diagrams to illustrate how biomass is distributed in ecosystems. These “ecological pyramids” lump all primary producers (plants) at the base of the pyramid. The second level ...

Microbial communities are thought to contain keystone species, which can disproportionately affect the stability of the communities, even if only present in low abundances. Identifying these keystone ...

California has implemented a new policy recognizing the ecological benefits of beavers, encouraging landowners and agencies to wrap trees and install water-flow management devices rather than killing ...

What do bison, beaver, wolves and sea otters all have in common? They're keystone species. That means they have an outsized impact on their ecosystem. It took humans driving some of these to near ...