Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael Kalyuzhny, Jeffrey K. Lake, S. Joseph Wright, Annette M. Ostling
Summary: For species to coexist, there must be a decline in performance as conspecific density increases. In this study, it is shown that adults of tropical forest tree species exhibit strong spatial repulsion, indicating substantial niche differences between species. The results demonstrate that conspecific negative density dependence can play a significant role in stabilizing species diversity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Crispin M. Mutshinda, Aditya Mishra, Zoe V. Finkel, Andrew J. Irwin
Summary: This study investigates the effects of density regulation on population variability in stochastic environments using a Bayesian modeling approach. The results show that population fluctuations are larger in populations with strong density regulation under random environmental changes. This finding has important implications for population sustainability and can contribute to the improvement of population dynamics models.
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Doaa M. Fawzy, A. Elsaid, W. K. Zahra, Ayman A. Arafa
Summary: This study proposes a non-smooth Filippov model to examine the interaction between wild and sterile mosquitoes. By simulating the conditions for releasing sterile mosquitoes and adjusting model parameters such as the threshold value, our findings suggest that lowering the threshold value to an appropriate level can enhance the control of wild mosquitoes, and employing SIT with a threshold policy control can improve economic outcomes while inhibiting disease spread.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Alexandros Belavilas-Trovas, Maria-Eleni Gregoriou, Spyros Tastsoglou, Olga Soukia, Antonis Giakountis, Kostas Mathiopoulos
Summary: Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) research is an emerging field, and lncRNAs in mosquito research remain largely unexplored. Studying ovary-specific lncRNAs in the Asian tiger mosquito, researchers identified differentially expressed lncRNAs related to mosquito reproduction, including Norma3, which when silenced, resulted in reduced fecundity and fertility. Additionally, downregulation of mucins in the neighboring cluster suggested a potential regulatory mechanism between Norma3 and mucins. This study provides experimental evidence connecting lncRNAs with mosquito reproduction and suggests a novel approach for pest management.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Yasamin Tabatabaee, Kowshika Sarker, Tandy Warnow
Summary: This article presents Quintet Rooting (QR), a method for rooting species trees based on a proof of identifiability of the rooted species tree under the multi-species coalescent model. The method is shown to be generally more accurate than other rooting methods, except under extreme levels of gene tree estimation error.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lachlan Griffin, Daniel Pagendam, Christopher Drovandi, Brendan Trewin, Nigel W. Beebe
Summary: This study introduces a method for estimating mosquito abundance in biocontrol programs using Bayesian state-space modeling. By applying this method to an incompatible insect technique program in Australia, the researchers were able to estimate population trajectories and quantify population suppression. The model showed similar patterns to field data and demonstrated high predictive skill.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Adam Z. Hasik, Adam M. Siepielski
Summary: The extent and magnitude of parasitism vary among closely related host species and populations within species. Host identity and local abiotic conditions play important roles in shaping parasitism, while host density and resource abundance have limited effects. The findings highlight the significance of the local environment in host-parasite interactions.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pedro G. Nicolau, Rolf A. Ims, Sigrunn H. Sorbye, Nigel G. Yoccoz
Summary: Studies of spatial population synchrony are important for understanding ecological dynamics. Climate change has become a new focus in these studies, but the role of season-specific density dependence in shaping large-scale population synchrony has been overlooked. This study presents an analytical protocol that considers both season and geographic context-specific density dependence to better understand the sources of population synchrony. By analyzing time series of rodent populations, the study reveals that season-specific density dependence is a major component of population synchrony.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Ruoyi Cai, Cecile Ane
Summary: This study proposes a goodness-of-fit test for assessing the fit of phylogenetic networks, validates the performance of the test through simulations on real-world networks, and provides a rigorous tool for model selection and identifying poorly inferred areas on a network.
Review
Microbiology
Brandon D. Hollingsworth, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Brian P. Lazzaro, Courtney C. Murdock
Summary: Studying viruses within mosquitoes can help describe their population structure and movement rates, leading to insights into otherwise difficult-to-measure aspects of mosquito ecology.
Article
Ecology
Kim Jaatinen, Mats Westerbom, Alf Norkko, Olli Mustonen, David N. Koons
Summary: Climate change is affecting the range distributions of organisms, especially in aquatic environments. Understanding and considering both density dependence and climate variation are important for predicting the impact of climate change on keystone species. In the case of Baltic blue mussels, warmer and less saline waters as outcomes of climate change have shown negative impacts, and density dependence increases the likelihood of population decline by subjecting the population to the detrimental effects of stochastic processes.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alice Monnier-Corbel, Anne-Christine Monnet, Leo Bacon, Blas M. Benito, Alexandre Robert, Yves Hingrat
Summary: The study indicates that reproductive success of North African Houbara bustard is negatively impacted by local densities, with this relationship remaining constant over time and space and not varying with habitat quality.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cathrin Manz, Slavomir Adamcik, Brian P. Looney, Adriana Corrales, Clark Ovrebo, Katarina Adamcikova, Tina A. Hofmann, Felix Hampe, Meike Piepenbring
Summary: This study contributes to the knowledge of the diversity of Russula species in subsection Roseinae based on specimens collected in tropical montane rainforests in western Panama. Four new species were described and illustrated, showing closer relation to North American or Asian species. Two of the species were associated with Oreomunnea mexicana, while the other two were associated with Quercus species, all only known from mountains in western Panama.
Review
Agronomy
Anna Wenda-Piesik, Dariusz Piesik
Summary: The trophic interactions between plants and herbivorous insects are considered crucial in the development of specialized pest populations. The dynamics of pest populations in crops occur in stages, affected by visual effects, olfactory effects, and reversal of feeding preferences. Fundamental theories of natural enemies and food resource concentration are important factors in this ecological relationship.
Article
Plant Sciences
Richard Tito, Heraldo L. Vasconcelos, Kenneth J. Feeley
Summary: The study suggests that rising temperatures pose a serious threat to plants, leading to potential upward migration of plant species in response to global warming. However, changes in soil conditions did not affect seedling survival and growth. Instead, higher temperatures were found to decrease seedling survival, particularly for populations growing in hotter locations.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Peter D. Nichols, Heidi R. Pethybridge, Bowen Zhang, Patti Virtue, Lauren Meyer, Zahirah Dhurmeea, Lara Marcus, Jessica A. Ericson, Nicole Hellessey, Sharon Every, Kathryn Wheatley, Christopher C. Parrish, Pascale Eisenmann, Alastair M. M. Baylis, Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Stacy L. Bierwagen, Jock W. Young, Lydie I. E. Couturier, Christoph A. Rohner, Jasmin Gross, Courtney Waugh, Charles F. Phleger, Christine Jackson, George Jackson, Charlie Huveneers, Susan Bengtson Nash, Mina Brock, Peter Mansour
Summary: Lipid and fatty acid datasets are widely used in assessing nutritional composition, trophic ecology, and ecosystem dynamics. This dataset includes a large number of records from various marine species in different regions, providing a solid foundation for comparative studies and a broad understanding of the distribution of marine lipids globally.
Article
Ecology
Luke A. Yates, Zach Aandahl, Shane A. Richards, Barry W. Brook
Summary: Specifying, assessing, and selecting statistical models are crucial for ecological research. We provide a comprehensive and accessible review on the technical aspects of cross validation for model selection, including bias correction, estimation uncertainty, score choice, and overfitting mitigation. Our recommendations include using leave-one-out cross validation or k-fold with bias correction for minimizing bias and using calibrated selection to mitigate overfitting.
ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Rupert Mathwin, Skye Wassens, Matthew S. Gibbs, Jeanne Young, Qifeng Ye, Frederik Saltre, Corey J. A. Bradshaw
Summary: The regulation of river systems reduces connectivity between river channels and floodplains, leading to decreased inundation frequency and increased risk of local extinction for species reliant on floodplains for their life cycle. Through virtual reconstruction and population modeling, we found that changes in wetland inundation due to river regulation are driving declines in the threatened southern bell frog population in South Australia's Murray River floodplains. Smaller wetlands and those experiencing successive dry years are most susceptible to local extinction, while larger wetlands and those with more frequent inundation are less affected. Environmental water provision can help reduce breeding failure and local extinction, and our modeling approach can be applied to prioritize water delivery for the southern bell frog and other frog species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Tristan Derham, Christopher Johnson, Brianna Martin, Julia Ryeland, Stefania Ondei, Matthew Fielding, Barry W. Brook
Summary: The Tasmanian emu coexisted with Aboriginal people for thousands of years, but rapidly went extinct soon after European colonization. Research suggests that hunting activities played a major role in their extinction, and reintroducing them to Tasmania would require community support.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Matthew C. McDowell, Shane D. Morris, Christopher N. Johnson, Brianna Martin, Barry W. Brook
Summary: This study models the changes in the range of the Broad-toothed rat, Mastacomys fuscus, by using fossil, sub-fossil, and contemporary records. It reveals that Mastacomys fuscus had a wider range and occupied more diverse environmental conditions in the recent past compared to its current distribution. The contraction of the species' distribution on mainland Australia to high-elevation areas occurred rapidly and recently. The research emphasizes the importance of utilizing sub-fossil data in understanding the changes in distribution and habitat occupation of threatened species for conservation planning.
Article
Geography, Physical
Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Stefani A. Crabtree, Devin A. White, Sean Ulm, Michael I. Bird, Alan N. Williams, Frederik Saltre
Summary: The patterns of Homo sapiens expansion out of Africa and across the globe have been studied using demographic and travel-cost models. However, migration rates and modelled routes have a reciprocal influence on each other. In this study, movement 'superhighways' and a demographic cellular automaton were combined to predict one of the earliest peopling events in the world. The results provide new insights and a better fit to the archaeological evidence of initial human arrival in Sahul.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Barry W. Brook, Stephen R. Sleightholme, Cameron R. Campbell, Ivan Jaric, Jessie C. Buettel
Summary: The Thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, has become a symbol of human-induced extinction. Despite the last captive animal dying in 1936, reports of possible ongoing survival in remote regions of Tasmania capture public interest. Analysis of observational records suggests the Thylacine most likely became extinct in the late 20th century, but there is a small chance of persistence in remote areas.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tarnya E. Cox, David Paine, Emma O'Dwyer-Hall, Robert Matthews, Tony Blumson, Brenton Florance, Kate Fielder, Myall Tarran, Matt Korcz, Annelise Wiebkin, Peter W. Hamnett, Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Brad Page
Summary: Helicopter-based shooting is an effective method for managing large vertebrate pest animals, but it can be challenging to visually locate animals in low-density populations and/or dense habitat. The use of thermal-imaging technology in aerial culling significantly improves detection rates in these conditions. The specific helicopter crew configuration with thermal-imaging equipment resulted in a high culling rate, zero wounding rate, and 100% incapacitation efficiency, making it an efficient and humane approach for managing feral pigs and fallow deer.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Salvador Herrando-Perez
Summary: Analysis of long-term trends in animal population abundance provides insights into population dynamics. Density feedbacks can affect component vital rates but may be decoupled from population growth rates estimated using abundance time series. The mechanisms responsible for this decoupling are poorly understood, questioning the validity of using logistic-growth models for inferring long-term population trends. To examine the conditions leading to decoupling, we simulated age-structured populations of long-lived vertebrates with density feedbacks on survival and quantified how stochasticity in survival rates, density-independent mortality, and variation in carrying capacity modified abundance time series. Density-independent mortality caused long-term population decline and decoupled the strength of component versus population density feedbacks. Our study suggests the use of logistic-growth models when survival rates are stochastic, carrying capacity fluctuates, and populations experience moderate catastrophic mortality.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Thomas Cherico Wanger, Barry W. Brook, Theodore Evans, Teja Tscharntke
Summary: The use of pesticides on tropical crops has increased significantly in recent decades, posing a threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services. While amphibians and reptiles are common in tropical agricultural landscapes, there are few field studies that measure the impacts of pesticides on these species. This study conducted a year-long field experiment in Indonesia and found that pesticide application cannot predict the diversity patterns of amphibians and reptiles in cocoa plantations. However, exposure to herbicides and insecticides in vegetable gardens resulted in the elimination of amphibians, while reptiles were less impacted by insecticides and unaffected by herbicides. The loss of a common amphibian species due to pesticide use suggests a strong indirect negative effect of pesticides on their role as pest-control agents. The authors recommend landscape-based Integrated Pest Management and further ecotoxicological studies on amphibians and reptiles to establish a regulatory framework and ensure the recognition and protection of their ecosystem services.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Morgane Henry, Brian Leung, Ross N. Cuthbert, Thomas W. Bodey, Danish A. Ahmed, Elena Angulo, Paride Balzani, Elizabeta Briski, Franck Courchamp, Philip E. Hulme, Antonin Kouba, Melina Kourantidou, Chunlong Liu, Rafael L. Macedo, Francisco J. Oficialdegui, David Renault, Ismael Soto, Ali Serhan Tarkan, Anna J. Turbelin, Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Phillip J. Haubrock
Summary: Biological invasions pose a threat to ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being. The European Union, as a hub for cultural development and global trade, has extensive opportunities for the introduction and spread of alien species. However, there are significant gaps in knowledge regarding the costs of biological invasions in terms of taxonomy and spatio-temporal data.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Andrew Doube, Annette Scanlon, Brad Page, Myall Tarran, Kate Fielder, Lindell Andrews, Steve Bourne, Mike Stevens, Penny Schulz, Tom Kloeden, Seb Drewer, Rob Matthews, Chris Findlay, Warren White, Craig Leehane, Brett Conibear, James Doube, Ted Rowley
Summary: Invasive alien deer are considered to be one of the worst emerging pest species in Australia. The Government of South Australia has launched a four-year program to reduce the populations of alien fallow deer, focusing on landscape-scale aerial culling using advanced thermal technology and a second shooter with a shotgun.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Thomas Evans, Elena Angulo, Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Anna Turbelin, Franck Courchamp
Summary: The adverse impacts of alien birds are widespread and diverse, with associated costs amounting to approximately US$3.6 billion. However, these costs are likely to be underestimated and alien birds are likely to be less damaging and easier to manage compared to other alien taxa. Costs are biased towards high-income regions and damaging environmental impacts, particularly on islands. Actions to restrict alien bird invasions at mainland locations might prevent high, ongoing costs. The successful eradication of increasingly widespread species will require a coordinated, international response.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lucile Leveque, Rahil J. Amin, Jessie Buettel, Scott Carver, Barry Brook
Summary: This study examines the factors influencing the distribution of the Tasmanian native hen and predicts its future distribution changes under climate change. The results show that 37% of Tasmania is currently suitable for the native hens, with low summer precipitation, low elevation, human-modified vegetation, and urban areas being key factors. Urban areas can also serve as "oases" in unsuitable regions, supporting high breeding activity. Under climate change predictions, the native hens are expected to lose only 5% of their occupied range by 2055. Overall, the species is resilient to climate change and benefits from anthropogenic landscape modifications, making it a rare example of a flightless rail adapting to human activity.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Thomas Botterill-James, Calum X. Cunningham, Christopher N. Johnson, Sean Haythorne, Damien A. Fordham, Barry W. Brook, Richard P. Duncan, David M. Forsyth
Summary: Using a validated pattern-oriented model, we demonstrate how the future distribution and abundance of invasive fallow deer in Tasmania can be significantly reduced by targeted increases in harvest and prioritizing removal around high conservation value regions. Our approach can be applied to project the likely effects of management interventions on future distributions and abundances for a range of invasive species.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)