Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Gregory J. Retallack
Summary: The evolution of Devonian woodlands involved an increase in size of vascular plants, alongside the presence of towering nematophytes in the same fossil plant assemblage. Nematophytes, lacking vascular plant tissues, formed closed canopies and were eventually overtaken by vascular land plants. Fungi, including glomeromycotan mycorrhizae and lichens, played a crucial role in nurturing and facilitating the evolution of early land plants.
Article
Ecology
Dillon T. Fogarty, Robert B. Peterson, Dirac Twidwell
Summary: This study develops a recruitment curve to describe the scatter of woody plant recruitment around seed sources and examines how this structures spatial patterns of encroachment.
Article
Plant Sciences
Buntarou Kusumoto, Yasuhiro Kubota, Andres Baselga, Carola Gomez-Rodriguez, Thomas J. Matthews, Daniel J. Murphy, Takayuki Shiono
Summary: This study found that compositional dissimilarity in angiosperm trees increases with spatial and climatic distances globally. The turnover component dominated in all biogeographical regions, while the nestedness component showed relatively high contributions in temperate regions with historically unstable climatic conditions. Changes in the turnover and nestedness components across taxonomic ranks suggest differential imprints of historical diversification over deep evolutionary time in shaping extant diversity patterns in each biogeographical region.
JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Minghui Wang, Sijie Yi, Mengyao Ju, Xianfeng Yi
Summary: A new nondestructive method using N-15 xylem injection was developed to accurately track seed dispersal and seedling recruitment by enriching isotopic signals in the mature seeds. The method successfully tracked seedlings established from acorns dispersed by seed-eating animals in the field, with little alteration to seeds and no significant effects on seed selection and germination. This xylem N-15 injection method is expected to be a powerful tool for seed dispersal ecology.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Benjamin R. Lee, Ines Ibanez
Summary: The study simulated the growth and carbon assimilation of temperate tree seedlings under climate change conditions, finding that while carbon assimilation in spring increased, increased summer respiration costs will offset this growth under extreme climate change, resulting in a net loss in annual carbon assimilation and demographic performance. Furthermore, it was found that carbon assimilation predictions for seedlings are strongly correlated with the species of nearby canopy trees, with seedlings planted near Quercus rubra projected to assimilate less carbon and therefore experience worse demographic performance.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Hui Yao, Yanpei Bai, Yuan Chen, Haochun Chen, Wanji Yang, Xiangdong Ruan, Zuofu Xiang
Summary: Research suggests that colobine monkeys mainly disperse small seeds through potential endozoochory, especially seeds from multi-seeded fruits, which enhances plant recruitment by promoting seedling growth.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tong Qiu, Robert Andrus, Marie-Claire Aravena, Davide Ascoli, Yves Bergeron, Roberta Berretti, Daniel Berveiller, Michal Bogdziewicz, Thomas Boivin, Raul Bonal, Don C. Bragg, Thomas Caignard, Rafael Calama, J. Julio Camarero, Chia-Hao Chang-Yang, Natalie L. Cleavitt, Benoit Courbaud, Francois Courbet, Thomas Curt, Adrian J. Das, Evangelia Daskalakou, Hendrik Davi, Nicolas Delpierre, Sylvain Delzon, Michael Dietze, Sergio Donoso Calderon, Laurent Dormont, Josep Espelta, Timothy J. Fahey, William Farfan-Rios, Catherine A. Gehring, Gregory S. Gilbert, Georg Gratzer, Cathryn H. Greenberg, Qinfeng Guo, Andrew Hacket-Pain, Arndt Hampe, Qingmin Han, Janneke Hille Ris Lambers, Kazuhiko Hoshizaki, Ines Ibanez, Jill F. Johnstone, Valentin Journe, Daisuke Kabeya, Christopher L. Kilner, Thomas Kitzberger, Johannes M. H. Knops, Richard K. Kobe, Georges Kunstler, Jonathan G. A. Lageard, Jalene M. LaMontagne, Mateusz Ledwon, Francois Lefevre, Theodor Leininger, Jean-Marc Limousin, James A. Lutz, Diana Macias, Eliot J. B. McIntire, Christopher M. Moore, Emily Moran, Renzo Motta, Jonathan A. Myers, Thomas A. Nagel, Kyotaro Noguchi, Jean-Marc Ourcival, Robert Parmenter, Ian S. Pearse, Ignacio M. Perez-Ramos, Lukasz Piechnik, John Poulsen, Renata Poulton-Kamakura, Miranda D. Redmond, Chantal D. Reid, Kyle C. Rodman, Francisco Rodriguez-Sanchez, Javier D. Sanguinetti, C. Lane Scher, William H. Schlesinger, Harald Schmidt Van Marle, Barbara Seget, Shubhi Sharma, Miles Silman, Michael A. Steele, Nathan L. Stephenson, Jacob N. Straub, I-Fang Sun, Samantha Sutton, Jennifer J. Swenson, Margaret Swift, Peter A. Thomas, Maria Uriarte, Giorgio Vacchiano, Thomas T. Veblen, Amy V. Whipple, Thomas G. Whitham, Andreas P. Wion, Boyd Wright, S. Joseph Wright, Kai Zhu, Jess K. Zimmerman, Roman Zlotin, Magdalena Zywiec, James S. Clark
Summary: The relationships that control seed production in trees are fundamental to understanding evolutionary pressures that shape forests. A global synthesis of fecundity data reveals that seed production is influenced by taxonomy and nutrient allocation. Seed production is not constrained by a strict trade-off between seed size and numbers, and sensitivity to soil fertility varies widely among species.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yanlan Liu, William J. Riley, Trevor F. Keenan, Zelalem A. Mekonnen, Jennifer A. Holm, Qing Zhu, Margaret S. Torn
Summary: This study shows that the expansion of Arctic shrubs is not controlled by environmental suitability, but rather determined by seed dispersal and fire. Better observations of seed recruitment and inclusion of seed dispersal and fire processes in land models are necessary for accurate predictions of shrub expansion and climate feedbacks.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael Kalyuzhny, Jeffrey K. Lake, S. Joseph Wright, Annette M. Ostling
Summary: For species to coexist, there must be a decline in performance as conspecific density increases. In this study, it is shown that adults of tropical forest tree species exhibit strong spatial repulsion, indicating substantial niche differences between species. The results demonstrate that conspecific negative density dependence can play a significant role in stabilizing species diversity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Priscila Lemes, Fabiana G. Barbosa, Babak Naimi, Miguel B. Araujo
Summary: Scientists examined how animal-plant interactions and dispersal limitations might impact the responses of Brazil nut-dependent frogs to climate change. Their findings suggest that suitable habitats for these frogs are projected to decrease, which could have implications for their survival. However, it is crucial that these species maintain their own dispersal abilities in order to preserve ecological and evolutionary processes.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Wolfgang Willner, Johannes Wessely, Andreas Gattringer, Dietmar Moser, Eliska Zaveska, Stefan Dullinger, Peter Schoenswetter, Karl Huelber
Summary: This study used spatio-temporally explicit modeling to reconstruct the post-glacial range dynamics of five understorey herbs in European beech forests. It found that the narrow and fragmented distribution patterns of these species may be due to their narrow ecological tolerances and dispersal limitations. Additionally, rare long-distance dispersal events contribute to the variation in distribution patterns.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Andrzej M. Jagodzinski, Pawel Horodecki, Anna K. Jasinska, Tomasz Malinski, Zenon Pilarek, Kacper Wozniak, Dorota Wronska-Pilarek, Jerzy Zielinski, Marcin K. Dyderski
Summary: Biological invasions pose a significant threat to biodiversity, and this study focuses on the spread of xSorbaronia ' Mitschurinii ' into temperate Scots pine forests. The study found that the density and biomass of the species decreased with distance from the propagule source, but increased with the maximal age and light availability of the studied plant. The study highlights the importance of managing high-density plantations of alien species to prevent their transformation into invasion hotspots.
Article
Ecology
Thomas A. M. Pugh, Rupert Seidl, Daijun Liu, Mats Lindeskog, Louise P. Chini, Cornelius Senf
Summary: Human activities have significantly affected the dynamics, structure, and function of temperate and boreal forests, leading to substantial differences compared to their natural state. Forestry activities and past land-use change have altered forest age structure and composition. These changes have important implications for carbon dynamics and forest management.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
F. Wayne Bell, Holly D. Deighton, Pedro M. Antunes, Jennifer Dacosta, Steven G. Newmaster
Summary: Investigations on the impact of silviculture intensity on exotic plant diversity in northern temperate and boreal forests are rare. This study found that intermediate linked-press and compounded pulse disturbances significantly influenced the richness of exotic plant species. The results support the intermediate disturbance and disturbance-mediated hypotheses, but not the biotic resistance hypothesis. Minimizing the use of intermediate compounded pulse disturbances is recommended to reduce the richness of exotic plant species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Lishunan Yang, Daniel J. Johnson, Zhichun Yang, Xiaochao Yang, Qiulong Yin, Ying Luo, Zhanqing Hao, Shihong Jia
Summary: This study suggests that neglecting habitat heterogeneity and dispersal mode can affect conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) and community assembly in temperate forests.
Article
Geography, Physical
K. M. Befus, S. Darhower, D. T. Liefert, B. N. Shuman
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Paige E. Copenhaver-Parry, Charles J. W. Carroll, Patrick H. Martin, Matthew Talluto
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2020)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
David T. Liefert, Bryan N. Shuman
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2020)
Review
Biology
Monica G. Turner, W. John Calder, Graeme S. Cumming, Terry P. Hughes, Anke Jentsch, Shannon L. LaDeau, Timothy M. Lenton, Bryan N. Shuman, Merritt R. Turetsky, Zak Ratajczak, John W. Williams, A. Park Williams, Stephen R. Carpenter
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2020)
Article
Geography, Physical
Meredith C. Parish, W. John Calder, Bryan N. Shuman
QUATERNARY RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Geography, Physical
Mathias Trachsel, Andria Dawson, Christopher J. Paciorek, John W. Williams, Jason S. McLachlan, Charles Cogbill, David R. Foster, Simon J. Goring, Stephen T. Jackson, W. Wyatt Oswald, Bryan N. Shuman
QUATERNARY RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Geography, Physical
David P. Pompeani, Kendra K. McLauchlan, Barrie Chileen, W. John Calder, Bryan N. Shuman, Philip E. Higuera
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2020)
Article
Geography, Physical
Barrie Chileen, Kendra K. McLauchlan, Philip E. Higuera, Meredith Parish, Bryan N. Shuman
Editorial Material
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
W. Wyatt Oswald, David R. Foster, Bryan N. Shuman, Elizabeth S. Chilton, Dianna L. Doucette, Deena L. Duranleau
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2020)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Ioana C. Stefanescu, Bryan N. Shuman, Jessica E. Tierney
Summary: Research indicates that branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) in lake sediments can be used as a paleothermometer to reflect changes in water column temperatures. Studies conducted in the Rocky Mountains show that the distribution of brGDGTs and the MBT05Me index are closely related to water column temperatures, allowing for the inference of mean summer air temperatures.
ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Laurie D. Grigg, Kevin J. Engle, Alison J. Smith, Bryan N. Shuman, Maximilian B. Mandl
Summary: A multiproxy record from Twin Ponds, VT, is used to reconstruct climatic variability during the late Pleistocene to early Holocene transition. The study highlights an overall warming trend, cold winter conditions during the Younger Dryas cooling event, and centennial-scale climatic variability. The early Holocene saw rapid warming, followed by phases of cold and wet conditions, ending with steady warming and increasing moisture.
QUATERNARY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Pablo Martinez-Sosa, Jessica E. Tierney, Ioana C. Stefanescu, Emily Dearing Crampton-Flood, Bryan N. Shuman, Cody Routson
Summary: Despite lacking a global calibration, the distribution of branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) in lakes is mainly controlled by temperature, which explains 58% of the variance. Water chemistry has a weaker influence, with pH and conductivity only explaining 24% of the variance. Developing a new Bayesian calibration based on a comprehensive dataset allows for accurate reconstruction of continental temperatures using lacustrine brGDGTs.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Philip E. Higuera, Bryan N. Shuman, Kyra D. Wolf
Summary: The 2020 fire season in the western United States marked a decades-long trend of increased fire activity, particularly in subalpine forests where fire frequency historically has been low. Observing fire activity over the past 2000 years reveals that the current fire rotation period and burning rates are significantly higher than historical averages. This highlights how extreme events in recent years are shaping new fire regimes as temperatures continue to rise, impacting subalpine forests in the Rocky Mountains.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Cody C. Routson, Darrell S. Kaufman, Nicholas P. McKay, Michael P. Erb, Stephanie H. Arcusa, Kendrick J. Brown, Matthew E. Kirby, Jeremiah P. Marsicek, R. Scott Anderson, Gonzalo Jimenez-Moreno, Jessica R. Rodysill, Matthew S. Lachniet, Sherilyn C. Fritz, Joseph R. Bennett, Michelle F. Goman, Sarah E. Metcalfe, Jennifer M. Galloway, Gerrit Schoups, David B. Wahl, Jesse L. Morris, Francisca Staines-Urias, Andria Dawson, Bryan N. Shuman, Daniel G. Gavin, Jeffrey S. Munroe, Brian F. Cumming
Summary: The Holocene climate reconstruction database of western North America is a valuable resource for studying past and future climate change. The database includes paleoclimate time series from terrestrial and marine sites, providing insights into temperature, hydroclimate, and circulation features. The publicly accessible database has wide research applications and is shared in the machine-readable Linked Paleo Data (LiPD) format.
EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE DATA
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
W. Wyatt Oswald, David R. Foster, Bryan N. Shuman, Elizabeth S. Chilton, Dianna L. Doucette, Deena L. Duranleau
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2020)