Special feature on ecosystem engineers: Cross‐scale and cross‐system perspectives

Abstract

Abstract Ecosystem engineers are those organisms that shape our ecosystems (directly and/or indirectly) by modulating the resource availability to other species. This definition has broadened our views of the different roles species play in their environments through a greater appreciation of organism‐mediated abiotic changes. However, the term is still under debate due to misunderstandings in its interpretation and application. One of the reasons for the source of ambiguity is the difficulty of imagining an organism that does not affect its surrounding environment in a particular way. Despite the controversy over the semantics, the concept has quickly gained acceptance as an important ecological driver of ecosystem functioning across different disciplines, most notably by expanding the original definition to include interactions among several species with ecosystem engineering capabilities. The papers compiled in this special feature outline the new path for addressing not only how to measure/monitor these complex species interactions, including those with alien ecosystem engineers, but also to integrate their impactful legacy effects in enhancing ecosystem processes. This knowledge will lead the way to integrate ecosystem engineers into future protection, management and restoration efforts. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.