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.

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 ...

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 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 ...

What is a keystone plant? Keystone species have a disproportionately large effect on the abundance and diversity of other species, like insects, in an ecosystem. Without keystone plants, the local ...

University of Delaware entomologist Doug Tallamy’s research has identified “keystone” plant species that make up the foundation of many U.S. ecosystems by producing food for native insects, thus ...

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 ...

The gray wolf has long been considered a "keystone" species, or one that plays a major role in its ecosystem. Its important position is documented in hundreds of peer-reviewed studies showing how ...

Some species play an outsize role in the environment they inhabit. Beavers build dams that create ponds where fish thrive. Otters in kelp forests eat enough sea urchins so that the kelp can grow ...

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 ...

University of Delaware entomologist Doug Tallamy's research has identified “keystone” plant species that make up the foundation of many U.S. ecosystems by producing food for native insects, thus ...