Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Minghua Shen, Xueqin Liu
Summary: The alteration of lateral hydrological connectivity (LHC) has been identified as a major factor contributing to the decline in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in river-floodplain ecosystems. However, the effects of LHC alteration on aquatic ecosystems have not been thoroughly studied or synthesized. Research on LHC alteration is disproportionately conducted in Europe and America, focusing on the biodiversity and abundance of macroinvertebrates and fish.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ben Yang, Kathleen R. Balazs, Bradley J. Butterfield, Katherine M. Laushman, Seth M. Munson, Elise S. Gornish, Albert Barberan
Summary: Despite the limited impact of plant community-based restoration practices on soil micro-organisms in the short term, our results emphasize the importance of considering site-specific targeted microbiome restoration to establish desired microbial communities quickly in dryland ecosystems where soil micro-organisms play crucial roles.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Roman Hoffmann, Charlotte Wiederkehr, Anna Dimitrova, Kathleen Hermans
Summary: Drylands in sub-Saharan Africa are greatly impacted by climate change, resulting in threats to food security, health, and water availability. Based on case studies, this study explores the relationship between environmental change, adaptation, and migration in rural areas, showing that households use a diverse range of strategies to respond to environmental hardships. Migration is commonly used as a complementary strategy, but its importance varies depending on community and situational needs.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Julien Blanco, Guillaume Ollivier, Audrey Alignier, Stephanie Aviron, Clelia Sirami, Eric Kerneis, Daphne Durant, Rodolphe Sabatier
Summary: The analysis demonstrates an increasing trend in the proportion of ecology literature addressing agricultural and forestry practices, with a focus on monospecific systems and experimental approaches. However, there is a lack of research on temporal monitoring, real-world practices, and social context. More research is needed in complex agroecosystems, particularly in non-Western countries, and a shift towards multilevel and spatio-temporal approaches, as well as participatory research, is recommended for a better understanding and formulation of sustainable policy recommendations.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Zhonghua Ning, Cong Chen, Tian Xie, Zhenchang Zhu, Qing Wang, Baoshan Cui, Junhong Bai
Summary: The invasion of Spartina species generally reduces biodiversity but increases coastal faunal abundance and fitness. The impact of invasive Spartina is dependent on habitat types, faunal taxa, trophic levels, and feeding types. Removal of invasive species can benefit native faunal communities, but the recovery process depends on specific measures and time.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Angel Perni, Jose Miguel Martinez-Paz
Summary: Highly modified coasts have sub-optimal ecosystem service provision, causing biodiversity losses and negative impacts on social welfare. Restoring these coasts faces technical, social, and economic challenges. Using the example of Portm ' an Bay in SE Spain, this study finds that restoration of heavily modified coastal ecosystems can be economically efficient and socially acceptable when considering social preferences and net benefits.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REVIEW
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hui Gao, Hanqin Tian, Zhenrui Zhang, Xinghui Xia
Summary: Climate warming increases soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from croplands, with significant increases in carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes, as well as changes in methane (CH4) uptake and release. The responses of GHG fluxes to warming are influenced by initial substrates, wetness, and nitrogen fertilizer levels. This study highlights the importance of adjusting agricultural practices to mitigate climate change.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yanyan Zhang, Chen Cai, Yunfu Gu, Yuanshuai Shi, Xuesong Gao
Summary: This paper is the first meta-analysis that examines the effects of microplastics on plant and soil health in the plant-soil system. The study finds that the composition of polymers in microplastics can impact plant morphology, antioxidant production and photosynthesis capacity. Different agricultural plants also show varying sensitivity to microplastics. Microplastic-impacted soils tend to be more porous and retain more water, but this does not improve soil stability or increase soil microbial diversity.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jiabin Liu, Ping Zhang, Yang Gao
Summary: Based on meta-analysis of 422 observations from 31 studies in Asian and North American deserts, it was found that vegetation rehabilitation significantly increased the soil inorganic carbon (SIC) content on shifting sand lands. The conversions to different vegetation types had varying effects on SIC, with forestlands showing the highest increase (77.0%). The study also found correlations between the response ratio of SIC and factors such as rehabilitation age, soil organic carbon, soil pH, and mean annual precipitation.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xinzeng Wei, Yaozhan Xu, Linyu Lyu, Zhiqiang Xiao, Shitong Wang, Teng Yang, Mingxi Jiang
Summary: Contrary to the available knowledge on enhancing plant species diversity and ecosystem services through ecological restoration, the impact of ecological restoration on genetic diversity of plant species has not been fully studied. A global meta-analysis revealed that ecological restoration did not significantly improve genetic diversity compared to reference or degraded populations, but passive restoration, seeding, and mixed sources did increase genetic diversity.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yuangang Wang, Geping Luo, Chaofan Li, Hui Ye, Haiyang Shi, Binbin Fan, Wenqiang Zhang, Chen Zhang, Mingjuan Xie, Yu Zhang
Summary: Agricultural activities in global drylands have significantly affected soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, and the impact patterns of clearing natural ecosystems for cropland (CNEC) on SOC are still uncertain. This meta-analysis study provides insights into the response patterns of SOC stocks to different types of CNEC and the factors influencing SOC changes.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Yuval R. Zelnik, Yair Mau, Moshe Shachak, Ehud Meron
Summary: The article focuses on managing human intervention to achieve its goal without impairing ecosystem function by identifying inherent response ways of ecosystems to disturbances. The approach is demonstrated mathematically and compared to remote sensing data. The surprising insights include the beneficial effect of managing grazing non-uniformly and the need to identify self-organization modes that drive ecosystem change.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Daniel Mutavi Katumo, Huan Liang, Anne Christine Ochola, Min Lv, Qing-Feng Wang, Chun-Feng Yang
Summary: The importance of pollinator diversity in natural and agricultural ecosystems is being compromised by the increase in managed pollinators such as honeybees. However, diverse pollinator communities play additional roles in environmental safety, culture, and aesthetics.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Tina Parkhurst, Suzanne M. Prober, Richard J. Hobbs, Rachel J. Standish
Summary: The global meta-analysis found that old field restoration in agricultural landscapes had positive effects on soil condition but did not lead to full recovery when compared to a reference ecosystem. Few and idiosyncratic effects were detected for invertebrates. Further research is needed to understand effects of restoration on soil invertebrate functional groups and to develop management interventions that accelerate the restoration of soil condition.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Junyi Liang, Shaojian Wang, Kangyao Liu, Jieyu Wang, Jiabei Zhou, Xiaoping Liu, Kuishuang Feng, Chuanglin Fang
Summary: Agriculture is a significant source of biomass but also causes pressure on ecosystems. Few studies have assessed the human impact of agricultural production and consumption from a whole-supply-chain perspective. This study evaluates trends of agricultural pressure on the environment based on net primary productivity and highlights the importance of cooperation and sustainable agriculture.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Christopher J. Lortie, Jose L. Hierro
Summary: This study explored plant climate adaptation and ecotypic differentiation in reciprocal common gardens, demonstrating plant adaptation to climate change through meta-analysis. The need for future studies to clearly define ecotypic testing in common garden experiments and the importance of reciprocal climatic gardens were emphasized.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Agustin Vitali, Diego P. Vazquez, Maria F. Miguel, Yamila Sasal, Mariano A. Rodriguez-Cabal
Summary: This study found that a keystone mutualism can enhance community resistance against the impacts of a non-native invasive pollinator by increasing species diversity and promoting interaction rewiring in the community.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Agustin Vitali, Yamila Sasal, Diego P. Vazquez, M. Florencia Miguel, Mariano A. Rodriguez-Cabal
Summary: Understanding the impacts of global change on ecological communities is a major challenge in modern ecology. Disruption of the hummingbird-mistletoe-marsupial mutualism can lead to cascading effects on both pollination and seed dispersal networks in Patagonia. The disruption of this mutualism by non-native species can result in less complex ecological networks.
Editorial Material
Evolutionary Biology
Christopher J. Lortie
Summary: Stories play a significant role in shaping the human experience, with tales like "The Little Prince" emphasizing the importance of ecology and connection. They provide moral guidance from different cultures and eras, while also being utilized in science education and promoting justice and openness.
IDEAS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jenna Braun, Christopher J. Lortie
Summary: Interactions with pollinators are crucial for the structure and function of plant communities, and inter-individual variation plays a role in the sharing of pollinators in visitation networks.
ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Xuejun Yang, Lorena Gomez-Aparicio, Christopher J. Lortie, Miguel Verdu, Lohengrin A. Cavieres, Zhenying Huang, Ruiru Gao, Rong Liu, Yonglan Zhao, Johannes H. C. Cornelissen
Summary: This study uses a global database to examine the patterns of plant interactions and their effects on climate. It finds that competition occurs more frequently than facilitation in plant communities worldwide and that plant interactions show weak relationships with latitude and climate. The study highlights competition as a fundamental mechanism structuring plant communities globally.
Article
Ecology
Christopher J. Lortie, Nargol Ghazian, Mario Zuliani
Summary: Seeds and seed banks play a crucial role in plant community theory and experimental design in desert ecosystems. It was observed that the choice of seeding density was often arbitrary and lacked key components needed for calculating seed density in desert experiments, leading to limitations in reproducibility and comparability between studies. A proposed workflow of 5 steps aims to address these challenges by improving data-checking processes and fostering higher levels of consistency and replication in experimental design, ultimately benefiting scientific syntheses for arid ecosystems.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Susanne Schwinning, Christopher J. Lortie, Todd C. Esque, Lesley A. DeFalco
Summary: These papers highlight the trends in common garden experiments, including the relationship between climate-related traits and fitness optima, as well as discussing various methods for improving common garden studies.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Christopher J. Lortie, Maria Florencia Miguel, Alessandro Filazzola, Harry Scott Butterfield
Summary: This study used meta-analysis to examine the impact of local species richness on restoration outcomes in dryland areas, and found that the most effective restoration outcomes were observed at sites with intermediate to relatively low species richness. Therefore, restoring degraded or low diversity arid grasslands should be prioritized during the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and plant species richness can serve as a crucial factor in decision-making.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Christopher J. Lortie
Summary: Decisions and judgment are complex processes due to the profound pressures exerted by global change on natural systems. A hierarchical approach is proposed to prioritize interventions based on implementation timing, with protecting first, managing second, and restoring last. This optimization workflow is considered reasonable for addressing various global challenges, not limited to climate mitigation through restoration.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Ecology
C. J. Lortie
Summary: Globally, teaching has undergone significant changes and innovations in the past three years, allowing for more seamless integration of technology and active visual teaching online or in-person. The CREATE pedagogy, originally proposed years ago and recently applied to ecology and evolution courses, offers a framework for engaging students in active reading and critical thinking. This approach not only enhances student engagement in various courses but also has a profound impact on how educators deliver content in lecture settings.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Ramona E. Irimia, Daniel Montesinos, Anurag Chaturvedi, Ian Sanders, Jose L. Hierro, Gaston Sotes, Lohengrin A. Cavieres, Ozkan Eren, Christopher J. Lortie, Kristine French, Adrian Christopher Brennan
Summary: Invasive species have a high capacity to adapt to new environments, resulting in spatial trait variation. We examined the geographic differentiation of phenotypic traits in the invasive Centaurea solstitialis by comparing genetic differentiation and phenotypic differentiation. We found that native plants were more fecund, while non-native plants had larger seed mass. There was little overall genetic differentiation between native and non-native ranges, suggesting rapid evolution has contributed to the success of C. solstitialis.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Gareth B. Jenkins, Andrew P. Beckerman, Celine Bellard, Ana Benitez-Lopez, Aaron M. Ellison, Christopher G. Foote, Andrew L. Hufton, Marcus A. Lashley, Christopher J. Lortie, Zhaoxue Ma, Allen J. Moore, Shawn R. Narum, Johan Nilsson, Bridget O'Boyle, Diogo B. Provete, Orly Razgour, Loren Rieseberg, Cynthia Riginos, Luca Santini, Benjamin Sibbett, Pedro R. Peres-Neto
Summary: We urge journals to mandate archiving open data in a user-friendly format for readers. Consistent implementation will allow contributors to receive recognition through open data citation and promote scientific advancements.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Mario Zuliani, Nargol Ghazian, Malory Owen, Michael F. F. Westphal, H. Scott Butterfield, Christopher J. J. Lortie
Summary: Positive associations between animals and foundational shrub species are frequent in desert ecosystems. This study investigated the impact of shrub density on the presence and habitat use of the federally endangered lizard species, Gambelia sila. The findings suggest that both shrub density and shrub cover are key factors for some desert lizards.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
