Article
Ecology
Jeremy Cohen, Walter Jetz
Summary: This study develops a novel methodological framework to identify niche-tracking strategies of bird species using a well-sampled system. The results reveal diversity and varying sensitivity to ongoing climatic change among different tracking strategies. The trait associations of niche tracking suggest significant functional consequences as climate change affects some strategies more strongly than others.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Vera Zina, Andre Fonseca, Goncalo Duarte, Sofia Conde, Maria Rosario Fernandes, Maria Teresa Ferreira, Jose Carlos Franco
Summary: This study assessed the role of ecological infrastructures (EI) in promoting ant biodiversity in floodplain Mediterranean agricultural crops. The results showed that EI supported higher ant diversity and specialized ant community, and ant richness was influenced by location and crop type. Additionally, ant richness was associated with the area of terrestrial EI in the surrounding landscape and the absence of invasive Argentine ant.
Article
Ecology
George N. Furey, David Tilman
Summary: In order to determine which plant traits can better explain ecosystem functioning and plant evolutionary histories, we collected 42 traits for each of 15 perennial species in a biodiversity experiment. We used every possible combination of three traits to cluster species, and found that clusters generated using tissue %Ca, %N and %K best correlated with phylogeny. Our results suggest that tissue elemental chemistry might be more phylogenetically conserved and more strongly related to ecosystem functioning than commonly measured morphological and physiological traits, which is worth exploring.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elzbieta Ziolkowska, Aaldrik Tiktak, Christopher J. Topping
Summary: This study assessed the effectiveness of mitigation measures in the Dutch policy plan on non-target terrestrial arthropods. The results showed that using low-risk products and increasing field margins can positively impact beetle population dynamics.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Emanuele Fanfarillo, Riccardo Fedeli, Tiberio Fiaschi, Leopoldo de Simone, Andrea Vannini, Claudia Angiolini, Stefano Loppi, Simona Maccherini
Summary: This study investigates the effects of using wood distillate (WD) at low concentrations in winter cereals on plant communities. The results show that 0.2% and 0.5% WD alter the composition of the plant community and have different effects on the dry weight and seedling emergence of certain species. These findings suggest that using low concentrations of WD in winter cereals may be a sustainable agricultural practice that promotes crop growth without harming plant diversity.
Article
Ecology
Elisabeth M. V. Myers, Marti J. Anderson, Libby Liggins, Euan S. Harvey, Clive D. Roberts, David Eme
Summary: This study examined changes in functional alpha diversity of marine fishes along depth and latitude gradients. Results showed that functional diversity increased with depth but decreased with latitude. Competition within and among species may play a key role in shaping functional space for deep-sea fishes, while abiotic filtering may be dominant for communities at higher latitudes.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Meifeng Deng, Weixing Liu, Ping Li, Lin Jiang, Shaopeng Li, Zhou Jia, Sen Yang, Lulu Guo, Zhenhua Wang, Lingli Liu
Summary: Plant traits and their intraspecific variations play crucial roles in determining ecosystem responses to changing environments. External and internal filtering processes have different impacts on biodiversity and productivity, with external filtering being a significant predictor of productivity. Intraspecific trait-variation is highlighted as a driver of plant productivity and richness responses to precipitation changes.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rafaela M. Assuncao, Nicholas F. Camargo, Luan S. Souza, Eneas M. Rocha, Gustavo M. Tostes, Edison R. Sujii, Carmen S. S. Pires, Pedro H. B. Togni
Summary: Landscape structure and local floral resources play a crucial role in bee diversity and ecological interactions in agroecosystems. Non-crop plants enhance the permeability of agroecosystems to bees by providing diverse floral resources and maintaining stable interaction networks. These factors are important for designing strategies to promote bee biodiversity and pollination services in tropical agroecosystems.
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Mozzamil Mohammed, Bernd Blasius, Alexey Ryabov
Summary: The study shows that both the strength of dispersal and the range of spatial environmental variability affect coexistence patterns, spatial structure, trait distribution, and local and regional diversity in trait-based metacommunities.
THEORETICAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Berenger Bourgeois, Anais Charles, Laura L. Van Eerd, Nicolas Tremblay, Derek Lynch, Gaetan Bourgeois, Maxime Bastien, Valerie Belanger, Christine Landry, Anne Vanasse, Brian Beres
Summary: Several governmental programs have been established in Canada to promote sustainable agriculture. Cover crops (CCs) have been found to reduce soil erosion and nutrient losses in agroecosystems. However, previous studies have shown variable effects of CCs on cash crop productivity, which may limit their widespread adoption by farmers. A meta-analysis of field studies conducted under humid temperate climate found that CCs increased corn and small grain cereal yields by 13% and 22% respectively, but had no effect on soybean yield. Legume CCs alone or mixed with grasses provided the greatest yield increases for small grain cereals and corn compared to non-legume broadleaf and grass CCs. CC benefits were influenced by nitrogen content in CC aboveground biomass and decreased when N fertilizer inputs exceeded 60 kg N ha-1 for corn. Precipitation and N fertilizer inputs mitigated the negative effect of grass CCs on corn yield, while legume CCs were less affected by variations in precipitation. CC benefits on corn yield increased over time and were more pronounced at low soil organic matter content and low N fertilizer inputs. These findings highlight the complex relationship between cash crop productivity, CC management, and environmental factors, providing new perspectives for promoting CC inclusion in cropping systems.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Amandine Erktan, Catherine Roumet, Francois Munoz
Summary: This study reveals the characteristics of root morphological diversity at the community level by analyzing the structure of fine root diameter distribution. The study also provides clues about the coexistence of root types and strategies for resource use and exploration. The results show that root morphological diversity increases with succession, and the proportions of different root types and strategies become more balanced.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Marie-Charlotte Bopp, Elena Kazakou, Aurelie Metay, Guillaume Fried
Summary: This study assessed the impacts of climate, soil characteristics, seasons, and weed management practices on weed communities in French wine growing regions. The results showed that region, seasonality, and management practices have significant impacts on weed community traits.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Marie-Charlotte Bopp, Guillaume Fried, Aurelie Metay, Denis Bastianelli, Laurent Bonnal, Elena Kazakou
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the impacts of pedoclimate and weed management on the mass loss of vineyard weed communities during decomposition. The results indicated that mowing is a promising alternative to herbicide use, favoring higher biomass, nitrogen content, and decomposability potential of weeds.
Article
Agronomy
Guillaume Fried, Cecile Blanchet, Lorelei Cazenave, Marie-Charlotte Bopp, Elena Kazakou, Aurelie Metay, Maxime Christen, Didier Alard, Stephane Cordeau
Summary: This study analyzes 400 floristic samples from 100 vineyards in the Bordeaux wine-growing region to investigate the impact of management practices on weed communities. The results show that mowing favors competitive hemicryptophytes, while soil tillage favors ruderal therophytes and nutrient-demanding species. Additionally, the trophic status of the soil affects the composition of vineyard weed communities. This study is the first to show consistent responses of weed species to disturbance and soil resource gradients, allowing for predictions of weed development based on soil characteristics and management practices.
Article
Agronomy
Laura Esche, Monika Schneider, Joachim Milz, Laura Armengot
Summary: This study investigates the effect of pruning on both agronomic and economic performance in cocoa-based agroforests. Pruning significantly increases cocoa yields but does not reduce the proportion of damaged pods. The economic feasibility of pruning depends on the initial yield levels.
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marie Charlotte Grange, Francois Munoz, Marco Moretti, Sylvain Varona-Y-Varona, Julien Renaud, Marie-Pascale Colace, Maya Gueguen, Cindy Arnoldi, Lionel Bernard, Laure Gallien
Summary: Biological invasions pose a significant threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, yet little is known about the impacts of invaders on native organisms and their response. In this study, we investigated the resistance strategies of native forbs and graminoids facing invasion by Solidago canadensis. We found that different functional groups respond differently to the invasion-induced constraints, with avoidance, tolerance, and escape strategies being employed.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sebastien Boinot, Cendrine Mony, Guillaume Fried, Aude Ernoult, Stephanie Aviron, Claire Ricono, Eloise Couthouis, Audrey Alignier
Summary: Bocage landscapes enhance weed diversity in field cores by increasing environmental heterogeneity, providing important contributions to agroecological weed management and biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Gregoire Blanchard, Francois Munoz
Summary: The concept of extinction debt, which refers to the delayed extinction of species after an environmental change, poses a major challenge to biodiversity research and conservation. This concept has been mainly understood through a species-based view, but there is a growing focus on ecosystem functioning and species interaction networks. By considering transient dynamics, this study proposes to revisit the concept of extinction debt in the context of multitrophic networks and meta-ecosystem theories, emphasizing the coupled nature of ecological dynamics across interaction networks within and between ecosystems. The study argues that alteration of specific organisms and ecological processes can lead to cascading delayed co-extinction dynamics and have long-term and remote consequences on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
Article
Agronomy
Helen Metcalfe, Jana Buerger, Christoph von Redwitz, Alicia Cirujeda, Silvia Fogliatto, Denise F. Dostatny, Barbel Gerowitt, Michael Glemnitz, Jose L. Gonzalez-Andujar, Eva Hernandez Plaza, Jordi Izquierdo, Michaela Kolarova, Jevgenija Necajeva, Sandrine Petit, Gyula Pinke, Matthias Schumacher, Lena Ulber, Francesco Vidotto, Guillaume Fried
Summary: The 'Arable Weeds and Management in Europe' (AWME) database is a collection of 36 surveys on weed vegetation and management data. This database provides opportunities for future research by addressing challenges in combining disparate datasets. Three case studies conducted in France, Germany, and the UK demonstrate the utility and versatility of the AWME database, showing consistent results across different spatial scales. The Europe-wide data collection offers numerous opportunities for analysis on climate change, weed diversity, and specific weed characteristics in Europe.
Article
Ecology
Francois Munoz, Christopher A. Klausmeier, Pierre Gauzere, Gaurav Kandlikar, Elena Litchman, Nicolas Mouquet, Annette Ostling, Wilfried Thuiller, Adam C. Algar, Arnaud Auber, Marc W. Cadotte, Leo Delalandre, Pierre Denelle, Brian J. Enquist, Claire Fortunel, Matthias Grenie, Nicolas Loiseau, Lucie Mahaut, Anthony Maire, David Mouillot, Catalina Pimiento, Cyrille Violle, Nathan J. B. Kraft
Summary: Recent work has demonstrated that evaluating the distinctiveness of functional traits, which is the average trait distance of a species to other species in a community, can provide valuable insights into the dynamics of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. However, the underlying ecological mechanisms that drive the emergence and persistence of functionally distinct species are not well understood. In this study, we address this issue by considering a heterogeneous fitness landscape, where functional dimensions encompass peaks that represent trait combinations resulting in positive population growth rates in a community. We identify four ecological cases that contribute to the emergence and persistence of functionally distinct species and provide examples and guidelines to distinguish between them. Additionally, we explore how stochastic dispersal limitation can lead to functional distinctiveness. Our framework offers a novel perspective on the relationship between fitness landscape heterogeneity and the functional composition of ecological assemblages.
Article
Ecology
Lucie Mahaut, Philippe Choler, Pierre Denelle, Eric Garnier, Wilfried Thuiller, Jens Kattge, Servane Lemauviel-Lavenant, Sandra Lavorel, Francois Munoz, Delphine Renard, Josep M. Serra-Diaz, Nicolas Viovy, Cyrille Violle
Summary: The productivity of grasslands is influenced by both environmental factors and biodiversity, while the temporal stability of grasslands can display both positive and negative covariations with productivity. It is crucial to consider the multiple components of stability and the interaction between environment and biodiversity for sustainable grassland management.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
David Perez-Neira, Monika Schneider, Laura Esche, Laura Armengot
Summary: This research analyzes the sustainability of food security in cacao monocultures and agroforestry systems under organic and conventional management. By developing innovative indicators, the study assesses crucial dimensions of food security, including land and labor productivity, nutritional quality of food, and their relationship with energy efficiency and consumption. The data from a ten-year study show that monocultures, particularly conventional ones, are more productive in terms of land and labor when only the main crop (cacao) is considered and energy consumption is not taken into account. However, when considering all crops produced and the demand for non-renewable energy, agroforestry systems are more productive and energy efficient than monocultures according to all analyzed indicators. Therefore, policies that consider the positive externalities of agroforestry and organic management are crucial for the sustainability of food systems.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Lucie Mahaut, Cyrille Violle, Ammar Shihan, Remi Pelissier, Jean-Benoit Morel, Felix de Tombeur, Koloina Rahajaharilaza, Denis Fabre, Delphine Luquet, Susan Hartley, Sarah J. Thorne, Elsa Ballini, Florian Fort
Summary: This study examined the prediction of plant-plant interactions (PPI) outcomes based on the distance and distinctiveness of functional traits. The results showed that relative trait distances and distinctiveness were strong predictors for the performance of single genotypes, while absolute trait distances had no effect. This suggests that competitive hierarchy for light dominates PPI, and functional distinctiveness captures the effects of trait hierarchies and asymmetric PPI at this scale.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Guillaume Fried, Isis Poinas, Laura Henckel, Audrey Alignier
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the taxonomic and functional characteristics of field margin flora in metropolitan France. The research highlights the high botanical diversity of field margins and their importance for plant conservation in agricultural landscapes. Different field margin types are associated with distinct conditions of climate, soil, landscape, and agricultural practices.