In ecology, we talk about the concept of a “keystone species.” This term refers to a species whose presence has a big impact on the structure of an ecosystem, like the keystone of an arch. If you remove the keystone, the arch falls down. If a keystone species is absent from its ecosystem, the ecosystem structure collapses.  

Fangorn Forest is old. But how can you tell? Old, mature forests like Fangorn have specific characteristics that younger forests do not.

The first thing you should know about me is that I love The Lord of the Rings. The second thing is that I’m a professional ecologist. These two things go together.