Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jedediah F. Brodie, Sara Williams, Brittany Garner
Summary: Biodiversity is declining globally, primarily driven by habitat loss and harvest activities. Herbivores and frugivores are particularly vulnerable to declines from hunting and habitat loss, with significant implications for plant communities and nutrient cycling. While globally phylogenetically unique species do not have an elevated risk of decline, in certain areas they are more likely to be threatened.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lu Feng, Xiaoming Ma, Alice C. Hughes, Gang Feng
Summary: This study explored the relationships between forest mammal diversity and various factors, such as elevation range, contemporary climate, paleoclimate change, and human activities in China. The results showed that higher elevation range and increased contemporary precipitation and cropland area were associated with higher mammal species richness and improved phylogenetic diversity and structure.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Alexis Laforge, Luc Barbaro, Yves Bas, Francois Calatayud, Sylvie Ladet, Clelia Sirami, Frederic Archaux
Summary: This study examined the interactions between road density, forest fragmentation, and bat diversity. The results showed that forest condition and patchiness were more influential than road density on most aspects of bat diversity, except for functional evenness. Bat diversity peaked in landscapes with moderate levels of forest fragmentation, while road density had negative effects on functional and phylogenetic diversity. The study provides insights for landscape planning to enhance the resilience of bat communities to road expansion and forest fragmentation.
LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Samukelisiwe P. Ngcobo, David A. Ehlers Smith, S. Thobeka Gumede, Mbalenhle Sosibo, Yvette C. Ehlers Smith, Colleen T. Downs
Summary: Forest loss and fragmentation have significant impacts on global biodiversity. This study used a multifaceted approach to assess the responses of different ecological groups of birds to forest landscape changes. The results showed that landscape composition, forest fragmentation, and local habitat heterogeneity had different effects on bird diversity. Protecting large and connected forest fragments and promoting local vegetation complexity are crucial for the conservation of forest-dependent species and overall avian diversity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nestor E. Bosch, Fernando Espino, Fernando Tuya, Ricardo Haroun, Lorenzo Bramanti, Francisco Otero-Ferrer
Summary: The degradation of shallow ecosystems has led to a need to study and understand the biodiversity and functioning of Mesophotic Ecosystems. However, most research has been limited to tropical regions and focused on species, neglecting other important aspects of biodiversity. By studying a subtropical island in the Atlantic Ocean, we found that fish communities in mesophotic black coral forests (BCFs) differed in functional structure compared to shallow reefs, indicating the importance of specific management and conservation strategies for preserving the unique biodiversity and functionality of mesophotic BCFs.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mark J. McKone, Evelyn W. Williams, Jared J. Beck
Summary: The study demonstrates that the trajectory of plant community succession in prairie plantings is highly variable and depends on initial species diversity and phylogenetic relatedness. This variation weakens the space-for-time substitution assumption in chronosequence studies; caution is necessary in interpreting chronosequence data from a single time sample. Restoration plantings over multiple sites and years are necessary to maximize landscape-level diversity.
JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jessica Cote, Nicolas Poulet, Laurence Blanc, Gael Grenouillet
Summary: Evaluating the effects of anthropogenic pressures on biodiversity metrics can inform biodiversity loss management and monitoring. Different types of disturbances lead to different responses in different metrics. This study aimed to understand the effects of different anthropogenic disturbances on freshwater fish communities. The results showed significant responses of all diversity indices to both climatic conditions and anthropogenic disturbances, highlighting the importance of disentangling various types of disturbances when assessing human-induced ecological impacts.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qing Deng, Xinhua Zhang, Zhizhou Zhao, Wei Tang
Summary: Extensive hydropower development and climate change have led to a severe extinction crisis for migratory fish, causing widespread environmental concern. This study developed a function-based framework to model fine-scale functional connectivity and evaluate habitat quality for the population recovery of migratory fish. Compared to previous research, our methodology effectively improved the predictive performance of spatiotemporal distributions and quality assessments of spawning habitats.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
William Douglas Carvalho, Luis Miguel Rosalino, Bruna da Silva Xavier, Isai Jorge de Castro, Renato Hilario, Tiago Miranda Marques, Jose Julio de Toledo, Marcus Vinicius Vieira, Jorge M. Palmeirim, Karen Mustin
Summary: Analyzing the dimensions of biodiversity in natural habitats is crucial for the conservation of species and ecosystems. This study investigates the impact of forest cover and patch-level variables on Phyllostomid bat diversity in the Savannas of Amapá. The results show that forest cover and patch-level variables have different effects on the diversity of bats in different seasons.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
H. Manjari Jayathilake, Eleanor Warren-Thomas, Luke Nelson, Paul Dolman, Sara Bumrungsri, Watinee Juthong, L. Roman Carrasco, David P. Edwards
Summary: Rubber plantations and agroforests in Southern Thailand have comparable functional and phylogenetic diversity metrics for birds. The presence of fruit trees and taller herbaceous plants within agroforests positively influences diversity levels. Landscapes with a higher proportion of fruit orchards tend to have higher functional and phylogenetic diversity, while degraded natural forest patches may have lower diversity levels.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
L. Rocha-Santos, D. Faria, E. Mariano-Neto, E. R. Andrade, J. A. Bomfim, D. C. Talora, M. S. Pessoa, E. Cazetta
Summary: Habitat loss is a major driver of biodiversity decline globally, and it is important to assess different dimensions of diversity such as taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity to inform conservation strategies. This study investigated the impact of forest cover loss on adult and juvenile tree assemblages' diversity dimensions. While richness, phylogenetic, and functional diversity were highly correlated for both life-stages, forest cover loss had a sharper decline in species richness for juveniles compared to adults. However, it did not significantly affect phylogenetic and functional diversity overall. The findings highlight the importance of considering species richness and different life-stages in landscape-scale conservation efforts.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mingyang Chang, Xinyi Luo, Yaru Zhang, Yulan Pang, Menghan Li, Jiajia Liu, Liangjun Da, Kun Song
Summary: This study investigated the composition of spontaneous plants and land use on the islands of the Chongming District in Shanghai, and found a positive relationship between land-use diversity and species richness. The relationship was more pronounced at smaller spatial scales. In addition to impervious surface coverage, both vegetated and non-vegetated land-use diversity contributed significantly to the prediction of species richness at finer spatial scales.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Thalita Ferreira-Arruda, Nathaly R. Guerrero-Ramirez, Pierre Denelle, Patrick Weigelt, Michael Kleyer, Holger Kreft
Summary: The influence of island dynamics and characteristics on different facets of plant diversity, including functional and phylogenetic diversity, is explored using barrier islands. Island area is found to be the best predictor for all diversity facets. Larger islands have higher functional and phylogenetic diversity, while smaller islands have lower diversity. Habitat heterogeneity also affects diversity, with increased competition on smaller islands leading to potential trade-offs between area and heterogeneity.
Article
Agronomy
Ya Hu, Aixia Guo, Xiangyun Li, Ping Yue, Shenglong Zhao, Peng Lv, Xiaoan Zuo
Summary: This study investigates the effects of nitrogen (N) deposition on plant community diversity and ecosystem multifunctionality in a desert steppe. The results show that N addition increases functional diversity, but does not affect species and phylogenetic diversity. Ecosystem multifunctionality increases initially and then decreases along the nitrogen addition gradient, peaking at an addition rate of 24 g·m(-2)·yr(-1). Functional diversity is positively correlated with ecosystem multifunctionality, and N addition enhances multifunctionality both directly and by increasing functional diversity.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yang Liu, Min Zhang, Wenqi Peng, Xiaodong Qu, Yuhang Zhang, Longfei Du, Naicheng Wu
Summary: This study compared the seasonal variations of different types of diversity between Chishui River and Heishui River, revealing that phylogenetic diversity (PD) and functional diversity (FD) are more sensitive than species diversity (SD) in indicating the effects of disturbances on biodiversity. Structural equation models showed that PD and FD had more significant effects on secondary productivity and P/B ratios than SD, suggesting that PD and FD may be better indicators of macroinvertebrate community stability in these natural river ecosystems.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Brian T. Klingbeil, Frank A. La Sorte, Christopher A. Lepczyk, Daniel Fink, Curtis H. Flather
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Goncalo C. Cardoso, Brian T. Klingbeil, Frank A. La Sorte, Christopher A. Lepczyk, Daniel Fink, Curtis H. Flather
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Brian T. Klingbeil, Jonathan B. Cohen, Maureen D. Correll, Christopher R. Field, Thomas P. Hodgman, Adrienne Kovach, Erika E. Lentz, Brian J. Olsen, W. Gregory Shriver, Whitney A. Wiest, Chris S. Elphick
Summary: The study compared the predictions of static inundation and dynamic response models for tidal marsh degradation in 2030 and 2050, finding significant differences in predictions for 2030 but both models suggesting that the majority of tidal marsh in the northeastern USA may disappear by 2050.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Karen H. Beard, Susan L. Durham, Michael R. Willig, Jess K. Zimmerman
Summary: Insectivorous vertebrates, especially on islands, play a key role in controlling herbivorous prey, but intraguild predation can diminish trophic cascades. An experiment in Puerto Rico showed that anole lizards and coqui frogs have different impacts on spider and arthropod abundances, as well as herbivory rates. The results highlight the complexity of the food web and the dynamic relationships among vertebrate insectivores, predatory arthropods, and herbivorous arthropods.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Timothy D. Schowalter, Manoj Pandey, Steven J. Presley, Michael R. Willig, Jess K. Zimmerman
Summary: Recent studies have shown long-term declines in arthropod abundances in Europe and North America, with habitat loss being a contributing factor. However, a study from the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico attributed declines to global warming. The study found that responses to hurricane-induced disturbance and subsequent succession were the main factors affecting arthropod abundances, while temperature played a secondary role for some species. Arthropods in the LEF are likely well-adapted to climate change, given the system's frequent pulse disturbances.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Steven J. Presley, Joerg Graf, Ahmad F. Hassan, Anna R. Sjodin, Michael R. Willig
Summary: The study aimed to characterize the biodiversity of oral and rectal microbiota in bats. It found that geographical location had consistent effects on the microbiota biodiversity, while host sex did not. Furthermore, there were differences in microbiota biodiversity between host species within each host guild.
CURRENT MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jason D. Lech, Michael R. Willig
Summary: This study assessed how native aquatic macrophytes in lakes and ponds respond to various forms of disturbance, finding that different species exhibit unique responses along a latent environmental gradient. The research analyzed the independent and joint effects of different disturbance types, highlighting the significant impact of invasive species and plant characteristics on the metacommunity structure of native aquatic plants.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Michael R. Willig, Steven J. Presley, Eve Cullerton
Summary: The study on gastropod metacommunities in montane tropical rainforests of Puerto Rico over 28 years found that despite the impacts of global warming and intense hurricanes, the metacommunity structure remained stable, with consistent patterns of species co-occurrence.
Article
Ecology
Michael R. Willig, Steven J. Presley
Summary: The study found that over the past 30 years, the impact on tropical gastropods in the Luquillo Mountains was primarily from hurricanes and associated secondary succession, rather than global warming. Gastropods demonstrate high resilience in this tropical ecosystem.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Steven J. Presley, Michael R. Willig
Summary: Climate-induced disturbances, such as hurricanes, have significant impacts on the structure and functioning of ecosystems. This study found that ecosystems in the Caribbean Basin are particularly susceptible to these disturbances. However, the study also revealed that ecosystems have the capacity to resist and recover from such disturbances, indicating the presence of species-specific adaptations that enhance their resilience.
Article
Education & Educational Research
Byung-Yeol Park, Todd Campbell, Miriah Kelly, Ron Gray, Chester Arnold, Cary Chadwick, Laura M. Cisneros, David Dickson, David M. Moss, Laura Rodriguez, John C. Volin, Michael R. Willig
Summary: The purpose of this study was to explore students' early attempts to engage in complex sensemaking experiences in the context of Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next-Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The results showed improvement in students' model scores, the number of concepts in models, and the coherence and sophistication of models. Patterns emerged regarding students' engagement in modeling, such as attempts to directly represent observations, difficulties in pictorially expressing complex patterns or mechanisms, and struggles in representing models from diverse perspectives.
RESEARCH IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION
(2023)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Steven J. Presley, Michael R. Willig
Summary: This article summarizes the concepts and perspectives of island biogeography, landscape ecology, macroecology, and metacommunity ecology, and explores their impact on bat community abundance, biodiversity, and composition. The article also highlights the influence of habitat loss and fragmentation on bat community and metacommunity structure.
ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Julissa Rojas-Sandoval, James D. D. Ackerman, Humfredo Marcano-Vega, Michael R. R. Willig
Summary: Understanding the role of alien species in forest communities and their interaction with native species is crucial for invasion ecology and resource management. Alien species negatively affect the diversity and abundance of native species, and generally exhibit stronger competitiveness than natives.
Article
Zoology
Michael R. Willig, Steven J. Presley
Summary: Natural selection favors individuals that align energy-demanding reproductive activities with periods of high resource abundance, resulting in seasonal reproduction patterns at the population level. However, few studies have rigorously quantified different phenological patterns within populations or between habitats, especially for bats in the Neotropics. To address this, we examined the annual reproductive patterns of male and female bats in the lowland Amazon and found variations in unimodal, bimodal, and interannual phenologies.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Steven J. Presley, Michael R. Willig
Summary: The Anthropocene is characterized by complex human-generated disturbance regimes, which include long-term press disturbances and episodic pulse disturbances. These disturbances influence the abundance, distribution, and biodiversity of organisms, with responses being context and scale dependent. A study on gastropod populations and communities in Puerto Rico found that they exhibit inconsistent responses to global warming but are sensitive to hurricane severity, spatial environmental variation, and successional trajectoriesof the flora. The ecosystems in Puerto Rico have developed resistance and resilience to the current disturbance regime, but climate change could pose a threat to their persistence in the future.