Review
Environmental Sciences
Donat-P. Haeder, Kunshan Gao
Summary: Aquatic ecosystems contribute 50% of global productivity and play a crucial role in mitigating climate change. Factors such as water temperature, ocean acidification, nutrient availability, deoxygenation, and exposure to UV radiation interact to either enhance or decrease productivity. While ocean warming and deoxygenation may have opposite effects on mitochondrial respiration, they synergistically affect plankton migration and N-2-fixation of diazotrophs. Ocean acidification and elevated pCO(2) have controversial effects on marine primary producers, but they can worsen viral attacks on microalgae and reduce calcification of algal calcifiers when combined with UV radiation. Field observations over a long period of time are limited, but future studies are expected to explore the responses and mechanisms to multiple drivers in different regions.
Review
Plant Sciences
Lilian P. Matallana-Ramirez, Ross W. Whetten, Georgina M. Sanchez, Kitt G. Payn
Summary: The warming of Earth's atmosphere is leading to changes in temperature and precipitation, impacting forest ecosystems. New technologies offer opportunities to address these changes, but also come with challenges. Management and breeding strategies can enhance forest resilience to climate change.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Claudia Martinez-Megias, Andreu Rico
Summary: This study assesses the impact of various stressors on the biodiversity of Mediterranean coastal wetlands. It finds that eutrophication and chemical pollution are the most studied stressors, while temperature rise and species invasions are less represented. Most studies show direct or indirect effects of these stressors on primary producers and invertebrate communities, leading to changes in species dominance patterns and a decline in endemic populations. Few studies have addressed stressor interactions, highlighting the need for further research to guide ecosystem management and restoration measures.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Isabel M. Rojas, Megan K. Jennings, Erin Conlisk, Alexandra D. Syphard, Jack Mikesell, Alicia M. Kinoshita, Krista West, Doug Stow, Emanuel Storey, Mark E. De Guzman, Diane Foote, Alexandria Warneke, Amber Pairis, Sherry Ryan, Lorraine E. Flint, Alan L. Flint, Rebecca L. Lewison
Summary: This study emphasizes the importance of considering not only climate refugia, but also other stressors such as human-induced changes in fire and hydrology, for conservation efforts. The authors introduced a new conceptual approach called "domains of refugia" to assess refugial capacity and identify areas with low exposure to multiple stressors. Results suggest that areas with high refugial capacity may be underrepresented in existing protected area networks, highlighting the need for expanding conservation efforts.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Bethany A. Bradley, Evelyn M. Beaury, Emily J. Fusco, Bianca E. Lopez
Summary: As the impacts of climate change continue to increase, it is urgent to incorporate climate change into future environmental policy to avoid missed opportunities. The rise of invasive species threats, exacerbated by climate change, further highlights the need for proactive measures. Recommendations include information sharing, screening and regulation of high-risk species, and incentivizing individual actions. Considering invasive species risk in climate mitigation and adaptation policy is also crucial.
Article
Agronomy
Rao-Qiong Yang, Pei-Li Fu, Ze-Xin Fan, Shankar Panthi, Jie Gao, Ying Niu, Zong-Shan Li, Achim Brauning
Summary: A better understanding of the growth-climate sensitivity of trees can reduce uncertainties in simulating forest carbon budgets. This study examined the spatial heterogeneity of Pinus yunnanensis and Pinus kesiya's growth-climate sensitivity in Southwest China. Results show that the growth of both pine species is positively correlated with precipitation and evaporative demand during the early growing season, while high precipitation and evaporative demand during the late growing season reduce tree growth. Additionally, the sensitivity of tree growth to temperature and moisture varied among the two species.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hosne Ara Akter, Puneet Dwivedi, Md Farhad Hossain Masum, Asiful Alam, William Anderson
Summary: This study used an integrated life cycle assessment to compare the carbon savings of intercropping carinata with loblolly pine to the carbon savings of loblolly pine only. The results showed that the carbon stored in wood products and the substitution of conventional aviation fuel with carinata-based sustainable aviation fuel were higher in the intercropping production system. However, devoting forestland to intercropping decreased the total carbon storage. Therefore, a system-level approach is necessary when analyzing the carbon benefits of intercropping bioenergy crops in existing forest stands.
BIOENERGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jessica L. L. Pruett, Ann Fairly Pandelides, Jaycie Keylon, Kristine L. L. Willett, Stephanie Showalter Otts, Deborah J. J. Gochfeld
Summary: Global changes in precipitation patterns have increased flooding events, which have negative impacts on estuaries by reducing salinity levels and increasing nutrient inputs. Oysters, as important ecosystem engineers, are vulnerable to co-occurring environmental stressors associated with flooding events. However, the response of early life stages of oysters to multiple stressors is not well understood.
Article
Agronomy
Hosne Ara Akter, Puneet Dwivedi, William Anderson, Marshall Lamb
Summary: This study examines the profitability of intercropping oilseed crops such as carinata and white lupin with loblolly pine in the Southern United States. The results indicate that intercropping can be more profitable than sole loblolly pine planting, but is sensitive to factors such as interest rate, price, and yield. Future research should focus on the impact of intercropping on pine yield and forest landowner adoption behavior.
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jeremy Collings, Stacy B. Endriss, Andrea Davalos
Summary: Land managers often focus on managing invasive species without considering the ecological impacts and outcomes of their efforts. This study evaluated the effects of removing the invasive plant Vincetoxicum rossicum on understory plant communities and found that reducing the abundance of V. rossicum did not necessarily lead to native plant recovery. Instead, deer and invasive earthworms were identified as stronger drivers of understory plant communities. These findings highlight the importance of collecting data to test management assumptions and prioritize reducing the impacts of deer and earthworms over invasive plant removal.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Enrico Pirotta, Len Thomas, Daniel P. Costa, Ailsa J. Hall, Catriona M. Harris, John Harwood, Scott D. Kraus, Patrick J. O. Miller, Michael J. Moore, Theoni Photopoulou, Rosalind M. Rolland, Lori Schwacke, Samantha E. Simmons, Brandon L. Southall, Peter L. Tyack
Summary: This article reviews the research on the effects of multiple stressors on wildlife populations and ecosystems, and proposes a conceptual framework for assessing the combined effects of these stressors. The article points out that different approaches have different assumptions about mechanisms, and that emphasis on mechanisms can improve analytical precision and predictive power but may introduce bias. Using an example, the article demonstrates how this framework can be formalized into specific analytical methods. The article argues that the goal of adaptive management should be to find the most practical and effective ways to remove or reduce the impacts of specific combinations of stressors.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christina Pasparakis, Alexandra N. Wampler, Toni Lohroff, Francine DeCastro, Dennis E. Cocherell, Evan W. Carson, Tien-Chieh Hung, Richard E. Connon, Nann A. Fangue, Anne E. Todgham
Summary: The Delta Smelt, once abundant in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary, is now endangered. This study investigates the stress response and cortisol dynamics in Delta Smelt, and finds that higher temperatures exacerbate the stress response and reduce available energy. The study also shows that the presence of a predator cue significantly increases cortisol levels in Delta Smelt.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Sassan Saatchi, Marcos Longo, Liang Xu, Yan Yang, Hitofumi Abe, Michel Andre, Juliann E. Aukema, Nuno Carvalhais, Hinsby Cadillo-Quiroz, Gillian Ann Cerbu, Janet M. Chernela, Kristofer Covey, Lina Maria Sanchez-Clavijo, Isai V. Cubillos, Stuart J. Davies, Veronique De Sy, Francois De Vleeschouwer, Alvaro Duque, Alice Marie Sybille Durieux, Katia De Avila Fernandes, Luis E. Fernandez, Victoria Gammino, Dennis P. Garrity, David A. Gibbs, Lucy Gibbon, Gae Yansom Gowae, Matthew Hansen, Nancy Lee Harris, Sean P. Healey, Robert G. Hilton, Christine May Johnson, Richard Sufo Kankeu, Nadine Therese Laporte-Goetz, Hyongki Lee, Thomas Lovejoy, Margaret Lowman, Raymond Lumbuenamo, Yadvinder Malhi, Jean-Michel M. Albert Martinez, Carlos Nobre, Adam Pellegrini, Jeremy Radachowsky, Francisco Roman, Diane Russell, Douglas Sheil, Thomas B. Smith, Robert G. M. Spencer, Fred Stolle, Hesti Lestari Tata, Dennis del Castillo Torres, Raphael Muamba Tshimanga, Rodrigo Vargas, Michelle Venter, Joshua West, Atiek Widayati, Sylvia N. Wilson, Steven Brumby, Aurora C. Elmore
Summary: Tropical forests play a crucial role in Earth's ecosystem but are facing increasing threats from changes in land use and climate. The development of a Tropical Forest Vulnerability Index (TFVI) helps track the response of global tropical forests to multiple stressors and provides early-warning signals for critical transitions. Climate change and land-use change have slowed down the recovery rate of forest carbon cycling, affecting above-ground biomass, gross primary production, and evapotranspiration. Forests in the Americas exhibit high vulnerability to stressors, while African forests show relative resilience to climate and Asian forests are more vulnerable to land use and fragmentation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patricio H. Manriquez, Maria Elisa Jara, Claudio P. Gonzalez, Mylene E. Seguel, Paolo Domenici, Sue-Ann Watson, Cristobal Anguita, Cristian Duarte, Katherina Brokordt
Summary: The study found that ocean acidification, ocean warming, and predator cues may lead to neutral, positive, or negative consequences for mussels.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jessica Andrade Vilas-Boas, Alba Arenas-Sanchez, Marco Vighi, Susana Romo, Paul J. Van den Brink, Roberto Junio Pedroso Dias, Andreu Rico
Summary: This study highlights that temperature is the main driver for changes in zooplankton communities, followed by salinity and chlorpyrifos. The three stressors contributed to a decrease in zooplankton diversity, with an increase in zooplankton abundance driven by higher temperatures. Salinity affected Cladocera and resulted in Copepoda increase at lower temperature, while reducing the abundance of all major zooplankton groups at higher temperature. Chlorpyrifos primarily affected Cladocera, with antagonistic effects on sensitive taxa in combination with salinity at both temperature scenarios.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
James A. Estrada, Chris H. Wilson, Julienne E. NeSmith, S. Luke Flory
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2016)
Article
Ecology
Christina Alba, Julienne E. NeSmith, Catherine Fahey, Christine Angelini, Stephen Luke Flory
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2017)
Article
Plant Sciences
Isabel K. Wargowsky, Julienne E. NeSmith, Ricardo M. Holdo
Summary: The study found that grass roots have a higher water transport capacity than tree roots, supporting the hypothesis that grasses are more aggressive water users than trees under conditions of high soil moisture availability. The research identified root functional traits that may drive differential responses of trees and grasses to soil moisture availability.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Julienne E. NeSmith, Wayne Twine, Ricardo M. Holdo
Summary: In savannas, vegetation states are highly sensitive to tree growth rates, which can determine the ability of individual trees to survive disturbances. This study found that tree resprout growth is strongly influenced by pre-disturbance stem size, and that fast-growing species tend to allocate resources to a few dominant stems while slow-growing species allocate new biomass to many smaller stems. These findings suggest that interspecific variation plays a key role in influencing the ability of savanna tree communities to escape disturbance traps.
Article
Plant Sciences
Michael W. Belovitch, Julienne E. NeSmith, Jesse B. Nippert, Ricardo M. Holdo
Summary: This study found that there are differences in the performance of trees and grasses in wet and dry conditions in savannas. Grasses transpired twice as much as trees on a leaf-mass basis and had a lower leaf osmotic potential, indicating higher drought tolerance. These results provide insights into the water use mechanisms in savanna ecosystems and offer much-needed whole-plant parameter estimates for African species.
Article
Ecology
Isabel K. Wargowsky, Julienne E. Nesmith, Niki Gajjar, Ricardo M. Holdo
Summary: Root-based functional traits play different roles in trees and grasses, but root conductivity may constrain the maximum growth rate in both types. This highlights the critical role of water relations in savanna vegetation dynamics.
Article
Forestry
Sadadi Ojoatre, Jos Barlow, Suzanne R. Jacobs, Mariana C. Rufino
Summary: This study evaluates the changes in a forest complex in Kenya and finds that within 20 years of disturbance, there is rapid recovery of aboveground biomass and carbon accumulation, and the species diversity remains high in these previously disturbed fragments.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Astor Torano Caicoya, Peter Biber, Miren del Rio, Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado, Catia Arcangeli, Robert Matthews, Hans Pretzsch
Summary: This study analyzed the effects of site and climate on the self-thinning line in Scots pine forests in Europe. The results showed that species tolerance, temperature, and precipitation influenced the slope of the self-thinning line. In terms of the intercept, latitude and radiation had compensating effects. Time did not show significant trends in the self-thinning line. The study highlights the need to adapt management strategies and models based on self-thinning to different latitudes. Climate change has not yet significantly impacted the self-thinning trajectory, but a continuous rise in temperature and high precipitation may accelerate the self-thinning process and result in increased biomass accumulation.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Haonan Zhang, Jianing Xu, Weiqi Meng, Zhonglin Li, Yanyan Ni, Weijie Li, Hao Chen, Xingshuo Zhang, Huanhuan Yuan, Zhi Wang
Summary: Secondary forests play a crucial role in ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity recovery. This study investigated the mechanisms underlying secondary succession in a restored secondary forest and found that deciduous tree species transition from diversity accumulators to repellents as they progress through different life history stages, while evergreen tree species can act as accumulators or remain neutral. The study also revealed the effects of density dependence on the mortality and regeneration of different tree species, and highlighted the importance of early-arriving tree species in facilitating the establishment and diversity of late-arriving counterparts.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Yierxiati Abulaiti, Zijian Huang, Guojiao Xie, Xiaojuan Zou, Qin Luo, Minhuang Wang, Qiong Yang, Ping Hu, Shixiao Yu
Summary: In this study, the resistance to pest infestation of native and exotic mangrove species was compared based on their traits and spectral reflectance. The results showed that exotic species exhibited higher resistance to pest infestation compared to native species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Thomas Feiss, Vincent Robin, Delphine Aran, Joseph Levillain, Thierry Paul, Jean-Luc Dupouey
Summary: Fagus sylvatica L. is a competitive tree in European temperate deciduous forests, but often sporadic or absent in present-day stands where Quercus spp. are dominant. Through soil charcoal analysis in the Lorraine Plateau in France, the presence of Fagus and Quercus in mature Quercus stands was confirmed. Radiocarbon dating results indicated that historical forest management caused the replacement of Fagus by Quercus, starting from the Bronze Age.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Paula Halbig, Anne-Sophie Stelzer, Peter Baier, Josef Pennerstorfer, Horst Delb, Axel Schopf
Summary: The incidence of oak processionary moth in Central Europe has been increasing, posing severe threats to oak trees, humans, and animals. To address this issue, researchers have developed an online early warning system that provides phenological forecasts and decision support for the protection of oak trees and human health.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Jean-Baptiste Ndamiyehe Ncutirakiza, Sylvie Gourlet-Fleury, Philippe Lejeune, Xavier Bry, Catherine Trottier, Frederic Mortier, Adeline Fayolle, Francois Muhashy Habiyaremye, Leopold Ndjele Mianda-Bungi, Gauthier Ligot
Summary: This study examines the influence of canopy structure on tropical tree growth using data collected through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and field measurements. The results show that combining UAV and field data can improve the prediction of tree diameter increment. Diameter at breast height and crown area are complementary predictors, and crown-based competition indices significantly enhance prediction models. The calibrated model at one site can accurately predict growth at another site.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Abebe Damtew, Emiru Birhane, Christian Messier, Alain Paquette, Bart Muys
Summary: Restoring degraded dryland requires a diverse mixture of trees and shrubs. Shading and species diversity can improve seedling survival and vitality. Shaded conditions led to higher seedling survival, vitality, and chlorophyll content, while increasing species richness improved seedling vitality in non-shaded conditions.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Francois Hebert, Isabelle Delisle, Marc Tremblay, Pascal Tremblay, Jean- Francois Boucher, Yan Boucher, Daniel Lord
Summary: Regeneration failures in the closed-crown boreal forest, resulting in the creation of open lichen woodlands, can be restored through clear-cutting, scarification, and natural seeding. Clear-cutting combined with scarification promotes seedling establishment, and scarification creates suitable microsites for germination. Seedling growth in lichen woodlands is higher when logging and scarification are combined, but lower compared to feather moss stands. Afforestation through natural seeding following scarification could be a cost-effective option for restoring lichen woodlands.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Bianca Wulansari Kassun, A. Maarit I. Kallio, Erik Tr Omborg, Meley Mekonen Rannestad
Summary: Mapping and analyzing forest ecosystem services in dry and mountain forests can provide valuable knowledge for sustainable forest management strategies.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Michael Premer, Eric Turnblom, Aaron Weiskittel
Summary: Managed forests serve as a natural climate change solution by sequestering carbon and storing it in harvested wood products, while also providing ecosystem services and wildlife habitat. This study focused on the stem sinuosity of juvenile coastal Douglas-fir and found that genetic improvement, silviculture practices, and local growing conditions can impact stem sinuosity. Factors such as tree spacing, vegetation control, and climate variables also affect the severity of stem sinuosity.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Bronwyn Lira Dyson, Rhea Herpel, Peter Karasch, Jorg Mueller, Dominik Thom, Claus Baessler
Summary: The study aimed to assess the effects of different forest management strategies, dead wood types, and microclimates on Fomes fomentarius. The results showed that the occupancy of Fomes fomentarius was lower in control stands, while the percent cover occupied on snags under a closed canopy was higher. Increasing the number of snags and maintaining dense forest canopies could enhance the presence of Fomes fomentarius as well as provide important microhabitats for various arthropods.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Di Liu, Chaofan Zhou, Xiao He, Xiangdong Lei, Huiru Zhang, Xianzhao Liu
Summary: Canopy structure plays a significant role in the distribution and growth of saplings. Traditional canopy metrics are inadequate in irregular stands. The innovative framework of canopy triangular units provides a comprehensive understanding of the canopy's three-dimensional attributes. Through this framework, we can analyze the differences in various triangular unit types and the spatial dispersion of saplings.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Amalia Valeria Ibanez Moro, Fabian Borghetti, Leonardo Galetto, Juan M. Cellini, Sandra J. Bravo
Summary: This study evaluated the size and persistence of soil seed banks (SSB) of six native woody species in dry subtropical forests of the western Argentine Chaco region. The results showed that SSB size was influenced by different sites and sampling years, and forest disturbances had varying effects on SSB.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Stephanie Landry, Marc-Andre Villard, Gaetan Pelletier, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
Summary: In many regions of the world, excessive browsing by ungulates has reached unsustainable levels, threatening biodiversity and forest regeneration. Moose, as ecological engineers, have severe impacts on forest structure and composition through overbrowsing. The distribution of forage and cover patches affects moose browsing pressure, and this relationship has been explored in conifer-dominated stands but not in hardwood-dominated landscapes.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)