Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laura A. B. Wilson, Camilo Lopez-Aguirre, Michael Archer, Suzanne J. Hand, David Flores, Fernando Abdala, Norberto P. Giannini
Summary: The high level of morphological diversity in Australasian marsupials compared to those from the Americas remains poorly understood. This study shows that variation in ontogenetic allometry among Australasian and American marsupials is similar, despite this great difference in ecomorphological diversity.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Natalia Rosas-Ramos, Josep D. Asis, Marta Goula, Ivan Ballester-Torres, Laura Banos-Picon
Summary: In agricultural systems, linear habitat features and resource shifting over the season can shape insect communities. Trait-based approaches are useful for understanding how environmental factors drive community structuring. In Mediterranean vineyard agroecosystems, linear habitat type and seasonality have different effects on Heteroptera communities, and trait composition is more sensitive to these factors than taxonomy.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Evan C. Fricke, Chia Hsieh, Owen Middleton, Daniel Gorczynski, Caroline D. Cappello, Oscar Sanisidro, John Rowan, Jens-Christian Svenning, Lydia Beaudrot
Summary: Food webs play a crucial role in influencing ecosystem diversity and functioning. This study utilized extinct and extant mammal traits, geographic ranges, observed predator-prey interactions, and deep learning models to investigate the changes in terrestrial mammal food webs over the past 130,000 years globally. The results revealed significant declines in complexity of food webs due to loss of food web links after the arrival and expansion of human populations. The study estimates a 53% decline in food web links globally, primarily caused by extinctions but also by range losses for extant species. This highlights the potential for restoring food webs through recovery of extant species.
Article
Ecology
Christopher E. Gordon, Michelle Greve, Michelle Henley, Anka Bedetti, Paul Allin, Jens-Christian Svenning
Summary: The reintroduction of African savannah elephants promotes landscape openness and modifies fauna habitat, with effects lasting up to 92 years. This demonstrates the potential of megafauna restoration in promoting long-term ecological responses and biodiversity conservation.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dong Sun, Yixiang Chen, Yunzhi Feng, Zhensheng Liu, Xin Peng, Yuming Cai, Peisong Yu, Chunsheng Wang
Summary: The study investigated the factors influencing the spatial variation of Z/P in the East China Sea using field data from four seasons. It found that the size diversity of zooplankton was the most important determinant of Z/P, with the normalized biomass size spectrum slope of zooplankton only being significant in summer.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Samuel Dijoux, Noemie A. Pichon, Arnaud Sentis, David S. Boukal
Summary: This study investigates how species invasions affect the structure, diversity, and stability of simple communities, and predicts the factors influencing invasion success and consequences. The results suggest that warm and productive habitats are more susceptible to successful invasions, with smaller competitors, intraguild predators, and relatively small top predators being the most successful invaders. Additionally, successful invasions can either destabilize or stabilize community dynamics, depending on the environmental conditions and the trophic position of the invader.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Martina Muraro, Stephanie Sherpa, Benedetta Barzaghi, Pierluigi Bombi, Danilo Borgatti, Viola Di Canio, Andrea Dalpasso, Mattia Falaschi, Benedetta Gambioli, Raoul Manenti, Silvio Marta, Paolo Momigliano, Veronica Nanni, Claudio Pardo, Elia Lo Parrino, Stefano Scali, Federico Storniolo, Leonardo Vignoli, Marco A. L. Zuffi, Roberto Sacchi, Daniele Salvi, Gentile Francesco Ficetola
Summary: The evolution of sexual dimorphism is driven by intricate interactions between sexual and natural selection, but environmental factors play a major role in SD variation within populations. The individual body condition and resource availability are the main drivers of SD expression in the Italian wall lizard.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Gissell Lacerot, Sarian Kosten, Raquel Mendonca, Erik Jeppesen, Jose Luiz Attayde, Nestor Mazzeo, Franco Teixeira-de-Mello, Gilbert Cabana, Matias Arim, Jose Henrique Cantarino Gomes, Sh Tserenpil, Marten Scheffer
Summary: Body size is considered a good indicator of trophic position in fish communities, but in warmer climates, the classical correlation between body size and trophic position disappears, leading to a decline in trophic diversity and more truncated trophic webs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rui Albuquerque, Antonio Bode, Juan Ignacio Gonzalez-Gordillo, Carlos M. Duarte, Henrique Queiroga
Summary: Marine neuston, a group of zooplankton that live near the ocean surface, is one of the least studied zooplankton groups. This study characterized the neustonic communities across different oceanic provinces and found that the differences in stable isotopes are related to environmental characteristics. The trophic structure of neuston communities is generally consistent across different regions, but the size and overlap of trophic niches may vary depending on food availability.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bartlomiej Wilman, Magdalena Beldowska, Agata Rychter, Ryszard Kornijow
Summary: This study aimed to identify pathways of mercury accumulation in an alien species clams, Rangia cuneata, which serves as an unrecognized source of mercury pollution in the southern Baltic Sea. It was found that clams effectively detoxified xenobiotics in summer, resulting in faster growth and higher mercury accumulation in the shell. The concentration of mercury in clams was not determined by their sex, and the main form of mercury was mercury sulfide (HgS). Geographical changes in mercury concentration were related to the form of mercury in the sediment.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Juan Dubrot, Peter P. Du, Sarah Kate Lane-Reticker, Emily A. Kessler, Audrey J. Muscato, Arnav Mehta, Samuel S. Freeman, Peter M. Allen, Kira E. Olander, Kyle M. Ockerman, Clara H. Wolfe, Fabius Wiesmann, Nelson H. Knudsen, Hsiao-Wei Tsao, Arvin Iracheta-Vellve, Emily M. Schneider, Andrea N. Rivera-Rosario, Ian C. Kohnle, Hans W. Pope, Austin Ayer, Gargi Mishra, Margaret D. Zimmer, Sarah Y. Kim, Animesh Mahapatra, Hakimeh Ebrahimi-Nik, Dennie T. Frederick, Genevieve M. Boland, W. Nicholas Haining, David E. Root, John G. Doench, Nir Hacohen, Kathleen B. Yates, Robert T. Manguso
Summary: This study uses genome-scale in vivo CRISPR screens to uncover the mechanisms of immune evasion in tumors and the role of immune inhibitory checkpoints. The research finds that loss of tumor interferon signaling increases sensitivity to immunity, while upregulation of classical and non-classical MHC class I inhibitory checkpoints facilitates immune escape.
Article
Fisheries
Dong Bai, Xiaowen Li, Zhenghan Liu, Lingling Wan, Chunlei Song, Yiyong Zhou, Xiuyun Cao
Summary: This study explored the internal cycling process of nitrogen and phosphorus in traditional aquaculture ponds. It was found that excessive phosphorus limited the hydrolysis of organic phosphorus but promoted the production of harmful ammonium nitrogen. Balanced nitrogen and phosphorus management measures were recommended in aquaculture ponds during the farming period.
Article
Ecology
R. Keller Kopf, Jian D. L. Yen, Dale G. Nimmo, Sebastien Brosse, Sebastien Villeger
Summary: This study found that jaw length is an important predictor of trophic position in fishes, while body mass has a weak relationship with trophic position. Trophic position is not always positively correlated with body mass globally, and in some cases, a negative correlation was observed.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yingxin Shang, Ge Liu, Zhidan Wen, Pierre-Andre Jacinthe, Kaishan Song, Bai Zhang, Lili Lyu, Sijia Li, Xiang Wang, Xiangfei Yu
Summary: The study established empirical algorithms between CDOM absorption coefficient and reflectance band ratio using Sentinel-2 images, in situ data, and water chemical parameters. It showed that by considering trophic state and using specific band ratios, the geographical range of remote sensing-based CDOM models can be expanded. However, a decrease in accuracy was observed in eutrophic reservoirs, likely due to increased complexity of CDOM sources.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Robin L. Chazdon, Sarah J. Wilson, Eduardo Brondizio, Manuel R. Guariguata, John Herbohn
Summary: Governance arrangements directly impact decision making processes and stakeholder engagement in FLR, requiring new ways of governing landscapes centered around local stakeholders. This paper explores common threads from diverse studies to highlight key challenges in effective FLR governance, discussing enabling factors and conditions to overcome deficiencies in governance processes and outcomes.
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Charles W. Martin, Ashley M. McDonald, John F. Valentine, Brian J. Roberts
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marcelo C. Andrade, Friedrich W. Keppeler, Mario Alejandro Zuluaga-Gomez, Jefferson W. S. Conceicao, Oliver P. Lisboa, Ryan Andrades, Kirk Winemiller, Tommaso Giarrizzo
Summary: The study investigates the association between body size, trophic position, and the use of different energy sources in the Volta Grande rapids of the Xingu River. The results indicate that riparian vegetation plays a critical role in supporting the biomass of most aquatic organisms. Contrary to expectations, there was no gradual increase in the coupling of energy pathways with increasing body size and trophic position.
Article
Ecology
Audrey Looby, Sarah Vela, Kieran Cox, Amalis Riera, Santiago Bravo, Hailey L. Davies, Rodney Rountree, Laura K. Reynolds, Charles W. Martin, Stan Matwin, Francis Juanes
Summary: Many fish species use active and passive sound production for communication, but the field of bioacoustics and ichthyology has lacked a global inventory of known fish sound production. To address this, FishSounds.net was developed to compile and disseminate fish sound production information and recordings. The website currently catalogues research on active and passive sound production for 1185 fish species from 837 references, along with 239 exemplary audio recordings. Users can search the website based on taxonomy, geographical distribution, sound type, or reference.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Yasmin Quintana, Friedrich Wolfgang Keppeler, Kirk O. Winemiller
Summary: Popular armored catfishes from South America have become invasive and can deplete basal resources, potentially impacting native fauna. A study in the Usumacinta River Basin, Guatemala, analyzed stable isotopes in fish tissues and basal resources to assess the trophic ecology of native fishes in the presence of Pterygoplichthys. The study found that the invasive catfish and environmental factors impact the trophic ecology of native fish.
Article
Environmental Sciences
James W. Fourqurean, Justin E. Campbell, O. Kennedy Rhoades, Calvin J. Munson, Johannes R. Krause, Andrew H. Altieri, James G. Douglass, Kenneth L. Heck, Valerie J. Paul, Anna R. Armitage, Savanna C. Barry, Enrique Bethel, Lindsey Christ, Marjolijn J. A. Christianen, Grace Dodillet, Katrina Dutton, Thomas K. Frazer, Bethany M. Gaffey, Rachael Glazner, Janelle A. Goeke, Rancel Grana-Valdes, Olivier A. A. Kramer, Samantha T. Linhardt, Charles W. Martin, Isis Gabriela Martinez Lopez, Ashley M. McDonald, Vivienne A. Main, Sarah A. Manuel, Candela Marco-Mendez, Duncan A. O'Brien, Owen O'Shea, Christopher J. Patrick, Clare Peabody, Laura K. Reynolds, Alex Rodriguez, Lucia M. Rodriguez Bravo, Amanda Sang, Yvonne Sawall, Fee O. H. Smulders, Jamie E. Thompson, Brigitta van Tussenbroek, William L. Wied, Sara S. Wilson
Summary: The organic carbon stored in seagrass meadows is globally significant and could be relevant in strategies to mitigate increasing CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. Seagrass abundance is a good predictor of the soil organic carbon stocks, and the relative availability of nutrients N and P also influences carbon storage. Nutrient availability and eutrophication are likely to exert a strong influence on carbon storage in seagrass meadows.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Erin A. Walters, Jamie Bojko, Claire E. Crowley, Ryan L. Gandy, Charles W. Martin, Colin P. Shea, Kelly S. Bateman, Grant D. Stentiford, Donald C. Behringer
Summary: Using histopathology, genomics, and transmission electron microscopy, the first symbiont profiles for Florida blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) occupying freshwater to marine habitats were described. Twelve symbiont groups were identified, including ciliophorans, digenean, microsporidian, Haplosporidia, Hematodinium sp., Nematoda, filamentous bacteria, gregarine, Callinectes sapidus nudivirus, Octolasmis sp., Cambarincola sp., and putative microcell. Water temperature and salinity explained 48% of the variation in symbiont groups among Florida habitats, and salinity was positively correlated with C. sapidus symbiont diversity. Impaired crabs were more likely to host symbionts, and the microsporidian symbiont group had a particularly strong effect on C. sapidus reflex response. Considering full symbiont profiles and their associations with a spatially and temporally variable environment is important for assessing C. sapidus population health.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ashley M. McDonald, Charles W. Martin, Carrie R. Adams, Laura K. Reynolds
Summary: In this study, the effects of nutrient enrichment, salinity, and their interaction on the competitive interactions between a native macrophyte (wild celery) and a nonindigenous invasive macrophyte (hydrilla) were experimentally examined. The results showed that fertilizer enhanced wild celery's leaf area and aboveground biomass, but did not enhance hydrilla's competitiveness. Salinity negatively affected wild celery's leaf area and biomass, and also reduced hydrilla's belowground biomass production, but did not influence competition.
Article
Ecology
Friedrich W. Keppeler, James R. Junker, Margaret J. Shaw, Scott B. Alford, Annette S. Engel, Linda M. Hooper-Bui, Olaf P. Jensen, Katelyn Lamb, Paola C. Lopez-Duarte, Charles W. Martin, Ashley M. McDonald, Jill A. Olin, Audrey T. Paterson, Michael J. Polito, Nancy N. Rabalais, Brian J. Roberts, Ryann E. Rossi, Erick M. Swenson
Summary: Coastal wetlands are disappearing rapidly due to climate change and flood control measures. The study compares the biodiversity of different assemblages between created marshes and reference marshes. The results suggest generally similar taxonomic diversity and composition between created and reference marshes, supporting the use of marsh habitat for coastal biodiversity restoration.
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Charles W. Martin, Paola C. Lopez-Duarte, Jill A. Olin, Brian J. Roberts
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kirk O. Winemiller, Marcelo C. Andrade, Caroline C. Arantes, Thethela Bokhutlo, Luke M. Bower, Eduardo R. Cunha, Friedrich W. Keppeler, Edwin O. Lopez-Delgado, Yasmin Quintana, David E. Saenz, Kevin B. Mayes, Clint R. Robertson
Summary: During lateral connections, aquatic organisms can assimilate material from oxbows and vice versa. This study analyzed hydrology, lateral connectivity, and stable isotope ratios to determine spatial food web subsidies between the active channel and oxbow lakes. The results showed that riparian C4 grasses were not a significant source of organic matter for fishes and mussels. Some organisms were observed to have assimilated ex situ source material, but further analysis using additional biomarkers and experimental approaches is needed to accurately track the movement of sources and organisms in spatially structured food webs.
Article
Ornithology
Stefan Woltmann, Mackenzie Roeder, Allison Snider, Anna Perez-Umphrey, Andrea Bonisoli-Alquati, Philip C. Stouffer, Sabrina S. Taylor
Summary: Many bird species display both social monogamy and genetic polygamy, and the adaptive value of these behaviors is a topic of research. Data on reproductive behavior for most species, even within well-studied communities, are still scarce.
WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Kathryn L. Howe, Kiley W. Seitz, Lauren G. Campbell, Brett J. Baker, J. Cameron Thrash, Nancy N. Rabalais, Mary-Kate Rogener, Samantha B. Joye, Olivia U. Mason
Summary: Multi-omics approaches and analyses were used to identify and characterize novel, uncultured, non-canonical marine methanotrophs. The study found a large, diverse and unrecognized community of active aerobic methanotrophs in the northern Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone and in the global ocean. These methanotrophs could play a role in mitigating methane flux to the atmosphere.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Acoustics
Audrey Looby, Santiago Bravo, Francis Juanes, Rodney Rountree, Amalis Riera, Hailey L. Davies, Brittnie Spriel, Sarah Vela, Laura K. Reynolds, Charles W. Martin, Kieran Cox
Summary: This study systematically reviewed the prevalence of acoustic behaviors in marine, subtropical fishes and the factors influencing their pervasiveness. The most common behavioral context associated with active sound production was disturbance, followed by aggression and reproduction. The reporting of sound production behaviors varied depending on the study environment and fish family.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2023)
