The ghosts of ecosystem engineers: Legacy effects of biogenic modifications

Abstract

Ecosystem engineers strongly influence the communities in which they live by modifying habitats and altering resource availability. These biogenic changes can persist beyond the presence of the engineer, and such modifications are known as ecosystem engineering legacy effects. Although many authors recognize ecosystem engineering legacies, and some case studies quantify the effects of legacies, few general frameworks describe their causes and consequences across species or ecosystem types. Here, we synthesize evidence for ecosystem engineering legacies and describe how consideration of key traits of engineers improves understanding of which engineers are likely to leave persistent biogenic modifications. Our review demonstrates that engineering legacies are ubiquitous, with substantial effects on individuals, communities and ecosystem processes. Attributes that may promote the persistence of influential legacies relate to an engineer's traits, including its body size, life span and living strategy (individual, conspecific group or collection of multiple co‐occurring species). Additional lines of inquiry, such as how the recipients respond (e.g. density or richness) or the mechanism of engineering (e.g. burrowing or structure building), should be included in future ecosystem engineering legacy research. Understanding patterns of these persistent effects of ecosystem engineers and evaluating the consequences of losing them is an important area of research needed for understanding long‐term ecological responses to global change and biodiversity loss. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Resource modification by ecosystem engineers generates hotspots of stream community assembly and ecosystem function

“…Perhaps, larval caddisflies function as foundational species because much of their engineering effects occur from their sessile retreat structures. Yet, highly mobile organisms such as fish and birds also create stationary habitat modifications, suggesting that there is still much to learn about how different traits mediate engineering effects on the landscape (Albertson et al, 2022; Woods et al, 2021). Broadly, our findings indicate that a greater diversity of organisms and traits are likely involved in hotspot generation than is currently appreciated and suggest parallels between relatively small organism‐mediated hotspots generated by semi‐sessile, short‐lived insects to those generated by long‐lived large‐bodied, and fully sessile foundation species.…”

A blue carbon model for the European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) and its application in environmental restoration

“…Although climate change mitigation cannot yet be claimed for the restoration of flat oyster habitats, a growing body of evidence is demonstrating that bivalve shellfish beds can build up carbon stores over time as both sediment and shell (see Lindenbaum et al, 2008; Kent et al, 2017a; Sea, Hillman & Thrush, 2022), and some bivalve shellfish habitats have been shown to persist for decades, if not centuries (Lindenbaum et al, 2008; Fodrie et al, 2017; Sea, Hillman & Thrush, 2022). Where habitats remain intact, the carbon storage benefits of a living flat oyster bed may also persist beyond the lifetime of the flat oysters themselves (Albertson et al, 2022); as such, minimal disturbance of both extant and relic habitats is likely beneficial to the longevity of a carbon store.…”

“…et al, 2008;Kent et al, 2017a;Sea, Hillman & Thrush, 2022), and some bivalve shellfish habitats have been shown to persist for decades, if not centuries (Lindenbaum et al, 2008;Fodrie et al, 2017;Sea, Hillman & Thrush, 2022). Where habitats remain intact, the carbon storage benefits of a living flat oyster bed may also persist beyond the lifetime of the flat oysters themselves (Albertson et al, 2022); as such, minimal disturbance of both extant and relic habitats is likely beneficial to the longevity of a carbon store.…”

Ecosystem engineers cause biodiversity spill-over: beavers affect breeding bird assemblages on both wetlands and adjacent terrestrial habitats

“…However, the impact of ecosystem engineers on biodiversity may be more pronounced when considered in a broader context, both temporal and spatial, or integrated with other well-established ecological processes. For example, the temporal outcome of their activities exceeds their life-span because of the legacy effect, and the biogenic structures they have created, such as termite mounds or woodpecker cavities, remain in the landscape and continue to function after their death (Trzcinski et al, 2021; Albertson et al, 2022). In the spatial context, the effects of ecosystem engineering can be expected to extend beyond the area of a species’ immediate activity.…”