Nature Based Solutions to Conserve Ecosystem Engineers: Terrestrial, Marine and Freshwater

Ecosystem engineers—ranging from keystone species like elephants and beavers to foundation species like mangroves and coral reefs—fundamentally shape ecosystem structure and function through habitat modification, nutrient cycling, and resource availability enhancement. These organisms create, modify, or maintain habitats that support biodiversity across terrestrial, marine, and freshwater biomes. However, anthropogenic pressures, climate change, and habitat fragmentation increasingly threaten these critical species, leading to cascading effects throughout ecosystems. The loss of ecosystem engineers can trigger irreversible ecosystem collapse, while their restoration can catalyze broad ecosystem recovery. Nature-based solutions offer promising, cost-effective approaches to conserve and restore ecosystem engineers, leveraging natural processes to address conservation challenges. These solutions align with global sustainability goals while providing multiple co-benefits including climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem service provision.

This Research Topic addresses the urgent need to develop, implement, and evaluate nature-based solutions for conserving ecosystem engineers across diverse biomes. The primary challenge lies in understanding how to effectively restore and maintain populations of these critical species while addressing the complex socio-ecological factors that threaten their persistence. Our goal is to advance scientific knowledge and practical applications of nature-based conservation strategies that support ecosystem engineers. We aim to: (1) synthesize current understanding of how different nature-based solutions can effectively conserve ecosystem engineers; (2) identify innovative approaches that address multiple conservation challenges simultaneously; (3) evaluate the effectiveness and scalability of existing interventions; and (4) explore the integration of traditional ecological knowledge with modern conservation science. By focusing on ecosystem engineers as conservation targets, this Research Topic will contribute to broader ecosystem restoration efforts, providing evidence-based guidance for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers working to maintain ecological integrity and resilience in an era of rapid environmental change.

This Research Topic welcomes contributions examining nature-based solutions for conserving ecosystem engineers across terrestrial, marine, and freshwater systems. We encourage submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Rewilding and species reintroduction programs

- Habitat restoration and connectivity enhancement

- Bioengineering and living infrastructure approaches

- Community-based conservation strategies

- Invasive species management through biological control

- Climate adaptation strategies for ecosystem engineers

- Traditional ecological knowledge integration

- Policy frameworks supporting nature-based solutions



Manuscript types sought:

Original research articles presenting empirical studies

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Case studies demonstrating successful implementations

Methodology papers describing innovative approaches

Perspective pieces on emerging concepts and frameworks

Policy briefs translating research into actionable recommendations



Studies may focus on single species or multi-species approaches, local to global scales, and should demonstrate clear conservation outcomes. We particularly encourage interdisciplinary research integrating ecological, social, and economic dimensions of ecosystem engineer conservation.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Registered Report
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Nature based solutions, Ecosystem engineers, Terrestrial, Marine, Freshwater

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.