Article
Plant Sciences
Jaume Flexas, Yali Zhang, Javier Gulias, Dongliang Xiong, Marc Carriqui, Elena Baraza, Tingting Du, Zhangying Lei, Haofeng Meng, Haitao Dou, Miquel Ribas-Carbo, Dao Xiang, Wenbin Xu
Summary: Extreme environments, such as deserts and high-elevation ecosystems, play a crucial role in biodiversity and ecology. However, there has been limited research on plant physiology in these areas. This study analyzed leaf physiological traits of native plants in arid zones across an elevational transect in Western China. The findings identified species that are well-adapted to the extreme conditions and highlighted the importance of considering stress indicators in conservation plans. Interestingly, C-4 species showed a higher level of stress compared to C-3 species, which calls for further investigation.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jun-Kyu Park, Yuno Do
Summary: Habitat suitability assessments are important for ecosystem management. This study analyzed the genetic and physiological characteristics of frog populations in riverine wetlands. The results showed unexpected genetic diversity and differences in genetic structure between populations in different areas. Most physiological indicators were not significantly different, but some blood biochemical indicators indicated hepatic stress in frogs from protected lowlands. Enhancing habitat connectivity is recommended to address the issue of genetic isolation.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eric Allan
Summary: A field experiment offers a new approach to explore the mechanisms through which grazing, fertilizer use, and light availability can influence the biodiversity of a grassland plant community.
Article
Plant Sciences
Mushtaq Ahmad Malik, Abid Hussain Wani, Showkat Hamid Mir, Ishfaq Ul Rehman, Inayatullah Tahir, Parvaiz Ahmad, Irfan Rashid
Summary: Predicted changes in climate, such as more severe droughts and extreme weather variability, are causing significant concerns for stakeholders due to the already stressed agricultural ecosystems. Drought stress is a major challenge for plants under climate change, affecting growth, development, and production. Silicon supplementation shows potential in alleviating drought stress and improving crop resilience.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Thomas E. Marler
Summary: This study quantified the CO2 efflux of 318 tree species in a common garden setting and found that woody lignophyte trees had significantly higher CO2 efflux compared to other stem growth forms. The CO2 efflux did not differ among cycads, palms, and non-palm monocots. This suggests that using CO2 efflux estimates solely based on lignophyte trees may be inaccurate for understanding the carbon cycle in tropical forests.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuxue Zhang, Lin Huang, Lijuan Liu, Xiaochuang Cao, Chengliang Sun, Xianyong Lin
Summary: The study found that the interaction between lettuce plants and imidacloprid and fenvalerate led to extensive metabolic reprogramming in the plants, but these insecticides did not have a significant impact on plant growth and physiological state. Under pesticide exposure, lettuce plants adjust their primary and secondary metabolism to resist and tolerate external stress.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ahmed Al-Harrasi, Abdul Latif Khan, Najeeb Ur Rehman, Rene Csuk
Summary: This review provides insights into the biosynthesis of triterpenes in the Boswellia genus, highlighting the structural diversity and medicinally important compounds produced by these plants. It explores the potential biosynthetic pathways and enzymes involved, as well as the factors and threats affecting frankincense production. Strategies for elucidating triterpene biosynthetic pathways in Boswellia are discussed, along with the possible mechanisms behind wound-induced resin synthesis and the influence of environment and genotype on resin biosynthesis.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xiao Zhao, Hui Chen, Jianyong Wu, Hai Ren, Jianhe Wei, Pengcheng Ye, Qin Si
Summary: Ex situ conservation of botanical gardens is an important approach to protect threatened plants. This study analyzed the status and problems of ex situ conservation of China's threatened higher plants in botanical gardens and proposed suggestions for future development. The results showed that while these botanical gardens had protected a significant number of threatened species, there were still gaps in the conservation of bryophytes and pteridophytes. The distribution of ex situ conservation of threatened species was inconsistent with their natural habitat. It is recommended to strengthen information management, increase the proportion of threatened species, and prioritize the conservation of species with few collections and low safety.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel F. Gomez Isaza, Rebecca L. Cramp, Craig E. Franklin
Summary: This article systematically reviews the responses of aquatic animals to wildfire disturbances. By studying and summarizing literature, it is found that wildfires can cause complex ecological and physiological changes in aquatic fauna and their ecosystems, and several methods and tools are mentioned for assessing the impacts of wildfires on aquatic animals.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Robert D. Cooper, H. Bradley Shaffer
Summary: The study examined the hybridization between the endangered California tiger salamander and the introduced barred tiger salamander, finding that hybrids exhibit a wide range of thermal tolerance abilities surpassing their parental species. Additionally, the hybrids displayed intermediate values at the gene expression level, with gene regulatory mechanisms potentially contributing to these traits. This research has important implications for understanding the success of hybrids in managing and protecting these species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiyue Wang, Zihao Wu, Qi Zhou, Xin Wang, Shuang Song, Shoukun Dong
Summary: This study investigated the physiological changes of drought-tolerant and drought-sensitive soybean varieties under different soil moisture conditions. The results showed that with decreasing soil moisture, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in soybean leaves increased, while the activities of antioxidant enzymes and osmotic regulatory substances increased. The total antioxidant capacity also significantly increased. The drought-tolerant variety HN44 exhibited less drought-induced damage compared to the drought-sensitive variety HN65.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Natascha Wosnick, Renata Daldin Leite, Eloisa Pinheiro Giareta, Danny Morick, Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis
Summary: This study aims to characterize the energy transfer from parental organisms to offspring in Brazilian Guitarfish through the analysis of energy markers in parental fluids. The results indicate that these markers are being made available to the offspring, possibly as complementary sources of energy. This research sheds light on the metabolic dynamics during reproduction stage in Elasmobranchs.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Joshua D. Rinehart, Courtney C. Grula, Joseph P. Rinehart, Julia H. Bowsher
Summary: Nesting cavity diameter influences the body size and performance of M. rotundata, with 7 mm and 8 mm being the optimal sizes for offspring yield and performance respectively. A 5 mm cavity may be optimal for conservation efforts of other cavity-nesting bees.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Veterinary Sciences
Jaqueline Candido de Carvalho, Fabiana Ferreira Souza, John Patrick Kastelic, Joao Carlos Pinheiro Ferreira
Summary: South America, being the most biodiverse continent, is home to 11 species of canids. However, little is known about the reproductive biology of these species, which poses challenges for conservation programs.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ashlee J. Mikkelsen, Damon B. Lesmeister, Kathleen M. O'Reilly, Katie M. Dugger
Summary: The study found that feather corticosterone in juvenile spotted owls is positively related to temperature and precipitation, and negatively related to juvenile mass at banding. Importantly, in lighter juveniles, increased precipitation is associated with higher levels of feather corticosterone, while greater mass can decrease the effect of precipitation.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nicole L. Kinlock, Katharina Dehnen-Schmutz, Franz Essl, Jan Pergl, Petr Pysek, Holger Kreft, Patrick Weigelt, Qiang Yang, Mark van Kleunen
Summary: Species characteristics and cultivation practices are closely linked to the naturalization and invasiveness of alien plants. While certain characteristics like larger native range, early flowering, and outdoor cultivation are associated with naturalization, the relationship between traits and naturalization is often influenced by cultivation patterns. Cultivation variables, especially availability in present-day nurseries, play a significant role in explaining invasiveness, highlighting the importance of considering human influence on species introduction and cultivation in understanding the effects of species characteristics on invasion.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ran Dong, Bi-Cheng Dong, Qiu-Yue Fu, Qiang Yang, Zhi-Cong Dai, Fang-Li Luo, Jun-Qin Gao, Fei-Hai Yu, Mark van Kleunen
Summary: Biological invasions are a global problem, and China is facing a significant increase in plant invasions. Many of the introduced plant species in China are still being traded, especially online. This study found that naturalized noninvasive and invasive species are more likely to be available for purchase compared to nonnaturalized taxa. Furthermore, online nurseries more frequently offer naturalized noninvasive and invasive species as seeds, while nonnaturalized taxa are more frequently offered as live plants. To prevent further spread of invasive plants, regulations on plant trade and monitoring of the online horticultural supply chain are necessary.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Yongge Yuan, Xinru Lin, Gelv Chen, Mark van Kleunen, Junmin Li
Summary: Parasitic plants can indirectly regulate the decomposition of organic materials by suppressing the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on decomposition. This study helps to unravel the mechanisms of a sophisticated hidden ecological process and is an important step forward in elucidating the roles of parasitic plants in soil nutrient cycling.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lirong Cai, Holger Kreft, Amanda Taylor, Pierre Denelle, Julian Schrader, Franz Essl, Mark van Kleunen, Jan Pergl, Petr Pysek, Anke Stein, Marten Winter, Julie F. Barcelona, Nicol Fuentes, Inderjit, Dirk Nikolaus Karger, John Kartesz, Andreij Kuprijanov, Misako Nishino, Daniel Nickrent, Arkadiusz Nowak, Annette Patzelt, Pieter B. Pelser, Paramjit Singh, Jan J. Wieringa, Patrick Weigelt
Summary: This study used machine learning and conventional statistical methods to investigate and predict global plant diversity, revealing complex interactions between environmental factors and plant diversity. Current climate and environmental heterogeneity were found to be the primary drivers, while past environmental conditions had smaller but detectable impacts on plant diversity. The results provide accurate estimates of global plant diversity at resolutions relevant for conservation and macroecology.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benedikt Speisser, Rutger A. Wilschut, Mark van Kleunen
Summary: Plant communities are affected by increasing numbers of global change factors, leading to unpredictable effects. However, there is limited information about the effects of multiple factors on plant communities. A study conducted found that simultaneously acting global change factors can affect plant communities in ways differing from those expected from single factor effects.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Rafael Munoz-Mas, Franz Essl, Mark van Kleunen, Hanno Seebens, Wayne Dawson, Christine Marie V. Casal, Emili Garcia-Berthou
Summary: This study aims to investigate major freshwater fish flows between biogeographic regions and their temporal dynamics, as well as quantify spatial patterns and temporal changes in the array of introduced species, and the emergence and distance between major donor and recipient regions. The analysis of a global dataset on freshwater fish introductions revealed unique changes in the composition and origins of introduced species in each biogeographic region. The results suggest that global policy should focus on tropical ornamental and aquaculture species, particularly in the Sino-Oriental region and the Ethiopian and Neotropical regions.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yan Li, Ekaterina Mamonova, Nadja Koehler, Mark van Kleunen, Marc Stift
Summary: Breakdown of self-incompatibility in selfing populations of Arabidopsis lyrata is not due to S-locus mutation. It is likely caused by an S-1-specific modifier, which disrupts the function of S-1. Self-compatibility in S19S19 cross-progeny may also be caused by an S-19-specific modifier or a loss-of-function mutation of S-19.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Xue Zhang, Mark van Kleunen, Chunling Chang, Yanjie Liu
Summary: A study investigated the effects of environmental mean conditions and variability on plant invasion, specifically looking at the role of soil microbes. The study found that nutrient fluctuation promoted nonnative plant dominance under different nutrient availability conditions depending on whether the soil was sterilized or not. The analysis of soil microbial communities indicated that nutrient fluctuation influenced the abundance of pathogenic fungi, which in turn affected plant invasion. This study highlights the importance of considering soil microbial communities when studying plant invasions.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Zihua Zhao, Cang Hui, Shuo Peng, Shanqing Yi, Zhihong Li, Gadi V. P. Reddy, Mark van Kleunen
Summary: Through comparing the characteristics of invasive and non-invasive insects, it is found that invasive insects have more pathways of introduction, occur in more habitats, have higher fecundities, higher voltinism, more genes, shorted lifespans and faster development from egg to adult. The study can guide the improvement of screening tools for assessing the invasion potential of alien insects.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Duo Chen, Mark van Kleunen, Yong-Jian Wang, Fei-Hai Yu
Summary: The study found that plant-soil feedback negatively affects plant growth. In the heterogeneous treatment with control and home-soil patches, the invasive species experienced a greater reduction in biomass compared to native species. In the heterogeneous treatment with both home and foreign-soil patches, the root biomass of invasive species was higher in the foreign-soil patches, while the opposite was true for native species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lirong Cai, Holger Kreft, Amanda Taylor, Julian Schrader, Wayne Dawson, Franz Essl, Mark Van Kleunen, Jan Pergl, Petr Pysek, Marten Winter, Patrick Weigelt
Summary: Assessing the distribution and drivers of phylogenetic endemism in seed plants worldwide, this study finds that tropical and subtropical islands and tropical mountain regions have the highest phylogenetic endemism. Tropical rainforest regions are centers of paleoendemism, while Mediterranean-climate regions show high levels of neoendemism. Factors such as warm and wet climates, geographic isolation, and long-term climatic stability are key drivers of phylogenetic endemism. The study provides insights into the evolutionary underpinnings of biogeographical patterns and identifies areas of high evolutionary and biogeographical uniqueness for global conservation priorities.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benedikt Speisser, Mark van Kleunen
Summary: The distributions of microplastics can affect plant responses to plastic pollution. Plants showed a preference for plastic-free patches and exhibited stronger root-foraging behavior in these patches. However, increased root-foraging did not benefit the plants and resulted in reduced plant performance.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Rutger A. Wilschut, Benjamin C. C. Hume, Ekaterina Mamonova, Mark van Kleunen
Summary: This study demonstrates the importance of generalist soil biota in driving plant-soil feedback interactions between succeeding plants. The study examines the contributions of specialist and generalist plant antagonists to plant-soil feedbacks among different species of grassland plants. The results show that annual plants exhibit more negative plant-soil feedbacks compared to perennial plants, but the feedback responses do not differ between conspecific and heterospecific plants.
Article
Plant Sciences
Rutger A. Wilschut, Benjamin C. C. Hume, Ekaterina Mamonova, Mark van Kleunen
Summary: This study demonstrates the interconnected growth responses of conspecific and heterospecific plants in soils previously occupied by other plants, highlighting the significant contributions of generalist soil biota to plant-soil feedback interactions between succeeding plants.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nicole L. Kinlock, Denise W. Adams, Mark van Kleunen
Summary: The plants sold in nurseries have direct and indirect impacts on urban and natural landscapes, and the historical development of the nursery industry is related to the diversity patterns observed in present-day urban landscapes.
PLANTS PEOPLE PLANET
(2023)
