Study
Loss of foundation species: consequences for the structure and dynamics of forested ecosystems
Ellison, Aaron M.; Bank, Michael S.; Clinton, Barton D.; Colburn, Elizabeth A.; Elliott, Katherine; Ford, Chelcy R.
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2005
Reviews cases in which an abundant, structurally dominant species was lost from a forest — chiefly through introduced pests and pathogens — and documents the consequent changes in microclimate, hydrology, nutrient cycling and associated communities.
- Studied in
- Tsuga canadensis, Plantae
- Sample size
- review of foundation species losses and their documented effects
Loss of a structurally dominant species changes light, temperature, soil moisture, streamflow and nutrient dynamics, and the associated communities do not simply transfer to the replacing species.
What it means
The authors' reading, and ours. Where they differ, that difference is the point.
How the authors put it
Foundation species are defined by abundance and structural role, and their loss alters ecosystem processes in ways not predicted by their trophic position.
How NatureHQ reads it
The record that gives "foundation species" its distinct meaning. A foundation species is common — that is the point of it — and it shapes the system by providing structure and modifying conditions. That is nearly the opposite of a keystone, which matters more than its abundance predicts, and the two terms are routinely swapped. A dominant hemlock is a foundation species; a sea star at low density is not.
- A review drawing on cases where loss was caused by introduced pests, which bring their own effects.
- Distinguishing structural from trophic contributions is difficult when the dominant species is also a major food source.
What this study is used for on NatureHQ
One study can inform several subjects. Here is everywhere this one is cited.
Published by: Wiley journalsPublished in a Wiley journal.
doi.org/10.1890/1540-9295(2005)003[0479:lofscf]2.0.co;2
Checked against Crossref on 2026-09-28, and they agree on the title, the authors and the year.
NatureHQ summarises research in its own words and does not reproduce published text. Reviewed 2026-09-04.