Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Keystone Species01:39

Keystone Species

21.7K
Measures of species biodiversity, such as richness (i.e., the number of species present) and evenness (i.e., their relative abundance), describe an ecological community’s structure. Many factors affect community structure, including abiotic factors (e.g., sunlight and nutrients), disturbances (e.g., fire or flood), species interactions (e.g., predation or competition), and chance events (e.g., foreign species invasion). Certain species—such as keystone species—also play a...
21.7K
Ecological Disturbance02:26

Ecological Disturbance

17.1K
An ecological disturbance is a temporary disruption in the environment resulting from abiotic, biotic, or anthropogenic factors, causing a pronounced change in an ecosystem. The impact of an ecological disturbance, which can depend on its intensity, frequency, and spatial distribution, plays a significant role in shaping the species diversity within the ecosystem.
17.1K
Ecological Succession02:17

Ecological Succession

17.3K
Ecological succession is influenced by the processes of facilitation, inhibition, and toleration. Facilitation occurs when early successional species create more favorable ecological conditions for subsequent species, such as enhanced nutrient, water, or light availability. In contrast, inhibition happens when early successional species create unfavorable ecological conditions for potential successive species, such as limiting resource availability. In some cases, later successional species...
17.3K
Threats to Biodiversity01:50

Threats to Biodiversity

22.4K
There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...
22.4K
Habitat Fragmentation02:31

Habitat Fragmentation

17.5K
Habitat fragmentation describes the division of a more extensive, continuous habitat into smaller, discontinuous areas. Human activities such as land conversion, as well as slower geological processes leading to changes in the physical environment, are the two leading causes of habitat fragmentation. The fragmentation process typically follows the same steps: perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage, and attrition.
17.5K
Conservation of Declining Populations02:07

Conservation of Declining Populations

9.6K
Conservation of declining population focuses on ways of detecting, diagnosing, and halting a population decline. The approach uses methods to prevent populations from going extinct.
9.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Shorebird loss increases soil CO<sub>2</sub> emissions in coastal wetlands under restoration.

Fundamental research·2026
Same author

Ecosystem technology (ecotech): Harnessing natural processes to address global challenges.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Optimizing ecosystem restoration with facilitation cascades.

Bioscience·2026
Same author

Dietary resilience of coral reef fishes to habitat degradation.

The Journal of animal ecology·2025
Same author

How human infrastructure threatens biodiversity by squeezing sandy coasts.

Current biology : CB·2025
Same author

Analysis of social determinants of health and extreme climate events: Identifying vulnerable populations and health outcomes in Jacksonville.

Environmental epidemiology (Philadelphia, Pa.)·2025
Same journal

Can habitat modification in the native range promote invasion?

Trends in ecology & evolution·2026
Same journal

The host-microbiome dimension of ecological regime shifts.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2026
Same journal

The emerging field of wild animal welfare science.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2026
Same journal

Integrating nutritional mutualists into the evolution of defense.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2026
Same journal

Formation of three great Asian plateaus, climate change, and biodiversity: (Trends Ecol. Evol. 40, 970-982; 2025).

Trends in ecology & evolution·2026
Same journal

Digital twins as a tool for ecosystem research.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
10:20

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

13.4K

Dead foundation species drive ecosystem dynamics.

Patrick H Saldaña1, Christine Angelini1, Mark D Bertness2

  • 1Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|November 3, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The ecological roles of dead foundation species are crucial for ecosystem stability and biodiversity. Recognizing their importance can improve conservation and restoration efforts in a changing world.

Keywords:
ecosystem engineersfacilitationhabitat modificationlegacy effectspositive interactionrestoration

More Related Videos

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
07:37

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

18.4K
Coral Reef Arks: An In Situ Mesocosm and Toolkit for Assembling Reef Communities
07:59

Coral Reef Arks: An In Situ Mesocosm and Toolkit for Assembling Reef Communities

Published on: January 6, 2023

3.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
10:20

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

13.4K
Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
07:37

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

18.4K
Coral Reef Arks: An In Situ Mesocosm and Toolkit for Assembling Reef Communities
07:59

Coral Reef Arks: An In Situ Mesocosm and Toolkit for Assembling Reef Communities

Published on: January 6, 2023

3.4K

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Conservation Biology
  • Ecosystem Science

Background:

  • Foundation species are critical ecosystem engineers, but their post-mortem ecological significance is often ignored.
  • Dead structures of foundation species play vital roles in ecosystem functioning, biodiversity, and energy flow.
  • These dead structures are increasingly vulnerable to global change impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the widespread ecological importance of dead foundation species.
  • To emphasize the consequences of their altered traits after death for ecosystem functions.
  • To advocate for the integration of dead foundation species into conservation and ecological theory.

Main Methods:

  • The study synthesizes existing research on the ecological roles of dead foundation species.
  • It analyzes how traits like metabolism, mobility, and morphology persist or change after death.
  • It examines the impact of these changes on ecosystem stability, resilience, and biodiversity.

Main Results:

  • Dead foundation species significantly influence ecosystem stability, resilience, and transitions.
  • Their structural and trophic roles after death are critical for biodiversity and energy subsidies.
  • Altered post-mortem traits have profound consequences for ecosystem functions.

Conclusions:

  • Dead foundation species are key, often overlooked, ecosystem components.
  • Incorporating their roles into monitoring and forecasting is essential for addressing Anthropocene conservation challenges.
  • Harnessing their post-mortem functions can enhance habitat restoration outcomes.