Review
Ecology
Haldre S. Rogers, Isabel Donoso, Anna Traveset, Evan C. Fricke
Summary: Seed dispersal is crucial for the persistence and spread of plant populations, as most plant species rely on animals to disperse their seeds. Loss of dispersers can lead to changes in plant populations, community patterns, and ecosystem functioning.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND SYSTEMATICS, VOL 52, 2021
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cao Dinh Dung, Helen M. Wallace, Shahla Hosseini Bai, Steven M. Ogbourne, Stephen J. Trueman
Summary: Strawberry fruit quality is affected by both the source of pollen and the number of stigmas pollinated. Cross-pollination can result in darker fruit, lower acidity, higher Brix:acid ratio, and impact shelf life due to changes in potassium and sodium concentrations.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hongxue Li, Shouwen Wang, Lulu Zhai, Yuhai Cui, Guiliang Tang, Junwei Huo, Xuyan Li, Shaomin Bian
Summary: This study revealed the molecular mechanism of color change during blueberry ripening, highlighting the intrinsic connections between miR156/SPLs and the ethylene pathway, which affect the accumulation of anthocyanins and chlorophylls.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Eduardo Narbona, Jose Carlos del Valle, Montserrat Arista, Maria Luisa Buide, Pedro Luis Ortiz
Summary: Flower colour is determined by the presence and type of pigments, with pollinator preferences influencing selection pressure on flower colour. Understanding how pollinators perceive flowers with different pigments is crucial for plant-pollinator communication and flower colour evolution. Research shows that different pigment groups occupy distinct regions in pollinator colour space models, with similar differences in colour conspicuousness among the groups in bee, fly, butterfly, and bird visual space models.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Antonios Petridis, Jeroen van der Kaay, Iain W. Archibald, Susan McCallum, Julie Graham, Robert D. Hancock
Summary: In maritime environments, blueberry yield often varies greatly due to poorly adapted photosynthetic responses to low light conditions. Placing reflective mulch alongside plants can significantly increase the amount of light reaching the canopy, leading to a twofold increase in yield while maintaining fruit quality.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Miranda A. Sinnott-Armstrong, Michael J. Donoghue, Walter J. Jetz
Summary: The study found that fruit colours are influenced by both dispersers and environmental factors, and there is interaction between the two. In warm areas, bird-associated fruit colours become more distinct with higher prevalence of bird frugivores, whereas in cold places these colours dominate regardless of the prevalence of mammalian dispersers.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Stefano Ercoli, Jennifer Cartes, Pablo Cornejo, Gonzalo Tereucan, Peter Winterhalter, Boris Contreras, Antonieta Ruiz
Summary: The study showed that the stability of anthocyanins in potato tubers varied significantly under different storage conditions, with light exposure and temperature having a notable impact; optimal storage conditions for liquid extracts were found to be low temperature in the dark. In general, potato extracts have potential applications as a natural alternative to artificial dyes in the agri-food industry.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lyanne Rodriguez, Andres Trostchansky, Irene Wood, Mauricio Mastrogiovanni, Hermine Vogel, Benita Gonzalez, Mario Marostica Junior, Eduardo Fuentes, Ivan Palomo
Summary: The study revealed that extracts from leaves and unripe fruits of Aristotelia chilensis have antiplatelet activity by inhibiting platelet aggregation and thrombin-induced platelet granule secretion, reducing reactive oxygen species formation, with phenolic and anthocyanin compounds playing a role in these effects.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Pilar Legua, Giulia Modica, Ignacio Porras, Agustin Conesa, Alberto Continella
Summary: Blood oranges are increasingly popular in Europe for their unique taste and excellent nutritional properties, making them a functional food. Analysis of 11 blood orange cultivars revealed significant differences in their physicochemical properties, antioxidants, and color properties, with Moro showing the highest polyphenol content and antioxidant activity.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2022)
Article
Horticulture
Cuihua Liu, Zhuo Zhang, Zhiming Dang, Juan Xu, Xiaolin Ren
Summary: The study found that phenolic compound contents in pomegranate fruit change during storage, with anthocyanins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids being the main compounds present. The anthocyanin content in the arils and the flavonoid content in the peel were associated with peroxidase activity.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Faith Seke, Oladipupo Q. Adiamo, Yasmina Sultanbawa, Dharini Sivakumar
Summary: This study aimed to encapsulate strawberry juice to protect its bioactive compounds, and found that encapsulating with pea protein, psyllium mucilage, and okra mucilage can improve bioaccessibility and preserve the bioactivities of the fruits. The results showed that the encapsulated strawberry microcapsules had a more beneficial structure, thermal stability, and chemical composition compared to the unencapsulated juice.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Faith Seke, Vimbainashe E. Manhivi, Tinotenda Shoko, Retha M. Slabbert, Yasmina Sultanbawa, Dharini Sivakumar
Summary: Optimizing the extraction conditions can yield a high antioxidant extract from Natal plum fruit, rich in phenolics and anthocyanins.
Article
Agronomy
Veedaa Soltaniband, Annie Bregard, Linda Gaudreau, Martine Dorais
Summary: The study found that biostimulants did not affect soil microbial activity, leaf chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic leaf performance, but did have a positive impact on plant growth and berry quality. Different biostimulants had varying effects on different berry parameters, with some increasing flower and fruit production, while others affected nutrient content and antioxidant levels.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chalermpong Saenjum, Thanawat Pattananandecha, Kouichi Nakagawa
Summary: In this study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of dragon fruit were investigated using HPLC and EPR, revealing the presence of bioactive phytochemicals with variations between different parts of the fruit. The study found that dragon fruit peel, rich in anthocyanins, may serve as a potential natural active pharmaceutical ingredient. Additionally, EPR analysis detected two paramagnetic species in dragon fruit, providing new insights into the stable intermediates found in various parts of the fruit.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pattamaporn Aksornchu, Netima Chamnansilpa, Sirichai Adisakwattana, Thavaree Thilavech, Charoonsri Choosak, Marisa Marnpae, Kittana Makynen, Winai Dahlan, Sathaporn Ngamukote
Summary: Antidesma bunius fruit extract, enriched with anthocyanins, showed inhibitory activity against digestive enzymes, reduced monosaccharide-induced protein glycation, and exhibited antioxidant properties. The findings suggest ABE may be a promising agent for these activities.
Article
Plant Sciences
Blanca Arroyo-Correa, Ignasi Bartomeus, Pedro Jordano
Summary: Intrinsic and extrinsic plant attributes play a substantial role in shaping the configuration of plant-pollinator networks, ultimately affecting individual plant reproductive success within a population. Further factors such as pollinator functional groups and spatial distance also influence plant-pollinator interactions and network structure. The study highlights the importance of understanding these drivers for predicting the outcomes of plant-pollinator interactions at the population level.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Tad A. Dallas, Pedro Jordano
Summary: The study on host-helminth parasite interactions found that geographical area influences species richness and the number of species interactions, but the species-area slopes for host species and helminth parasites were different than theoretical predictions. Additionally, host-helminth network modularity decreased with increasing area, contrary to theoretical predictions.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Elena Quintero, Jorge Isla, Pedro Jordano
Summary: Recording species interactions, especially frugivory, is a challenge in ecological studies. Various methods have been developed for monitoring these interactions, with data merging approaches being proposed to combine results from different methodologies. Case studies show that data merging can increase the number of interactions recorded and improve the robustness of network topological descriptors.
Article
Ecology
Lisieux Fuzessy, Gisela Sobral, Daiane Carreira, Debora Cristina Rother, Gedimar Barbosa, Mariana Landis, Mauro Galetti, Tad Dallas, Vinicius Cardoso Claudio, Laurence Culot, Pedro Jordano
Summary: In the Brazilian Atlantic forest, the most important frugivorous vertebrates in the continuous forest have disappeared from the small patch, while specific functional traits and levels of frugivory play a significant role in shaping network structure. In the small patch, small generalist birds and the only remaining primate, along with lipid-rich fruits, are central to maintaining community structure.
Article
Ecology
Lisieux Fuzessy, Fernando A. O. Silveira, Laurence Culot, Pedro Jordano, Miguel Verdu
Summary: Seed dispersal benefits plants and frugivores, potentially driving co-evolution; phylogenetic congruences suggest shared evolutionary history between primates and plants; consistent eco-evolutionary dynamics with co-phylogenetic signals emerging independently across different regions.
Article
Ecology
Jose Maria Gomez, Eugene W. Schupp, Pedro Jordano
Summary: Mutualism effectiveness is defined as the contribution of an interacting organism to its partner's fitness, determined by the quantity and quality components of immediate outcomes. The spatial structure of effectiveness values reflects the evolutionary history of mutualistic interactions, with properties such as distribution, relative contribution, and correlation impacting the landscape. Exploring effectiveness landscapes in other mutualisms can provide insights into the evolutionary and ecological consequences of mutualisms.
Article
Ecology
Tad A. Dallas, Pedro Jordano
Summary: In this study, the variability in interactor richness across 299 host-helminth networks was examined using a global database of host-helminth interactions. The results showed that a signal of interactor richness conservation was not detected for more than 95% of host and helminth parasite species. Furthermore, a significant taxonomic signal was detected in the divergence of parasite species richness from a null model for host species.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Pamela Friedemann, Marina Correa Cortes, Everaldo Rodrigo de Castro, Mauro Galetti, Pedro Jordano, Paulo R. Guimaraes Jr
Summary: The study found that individual palm characteristics did not influence interaction patterns in the network, but habitat type significantly affected network modularity. This suggests that the organization of individual-based networks is mainly driven by habitat type.
Article
Ecology
Maria Campo-Celada, Pedro Jordano, Ana Benitez-Lopez, Carlos Gutierrez-Exposito, Julio Rabadan-Gonzalez, Irene Mendoza
Summary: This study evaluates the changes in an avian frugivore community in a Mediterranean scrubland site over a long-term and short-term period. The findings show profound transformations in species composition, bird phenology, and body condition. The abundance of wintering and seed-disperser species has decreased over about 40 years. Seasonal abundance peaks have advanced in many frugivorous bird species. Bird body condition during migration has worsened, with fewer individuals showing a high-fat percentage. Fruit production has also decreased, possibly due to habitat encroachment and vegetation changes.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jorge Isla, Miguel E. Jacome-Flores, Daniel Pareja, Pedro Jordano
Summary: The strength of antagonistic interactions changes during range expansion in plant populations, and individual plant traits and neighborhood attributes play a significant role in determining the configuration of these interactions. Our study highlights the importance of an individual-based approach in understanding the structure and driving factors of interactions in natural changing landscapes.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Elena Quintero, Francisco Rodriguez-Sanchez, Pedro Jordano
Summary: Mutualistic interactions among free-living species involve low-frequency interactions and asymmetric dependence. Using a fleshy-fruited plant and its frugivore assemblage as a model, researchers found that interaction effectiveness was mainly driven by interaction frequency. Despite asymmetric dependences, reciprocity in rewards between partners was determined by the quantity of fruit consumed. They anticipate that reciprocity will emerge in low-intimacy mutualisms where interaction frequency plays a crucial role.
Article
Ecology
Blanca Arroyo-Correa, Pedro Jordano, Ignasi Bartomeus
Summary: Patterns of resource use at the species level are influenced by individual differences in exploiting available resources, such as pollinator use by plants. Our study used detailed data on plant-pollinator interactions to examine how variation in pollinator use among individual plants impacts community structure and dynamics. We found that all co-occurring plant species consisted of specialists interacting with subsets of pollinators that visited generalists, and the differences in interaction patterns were driven by variation in traits among individuals. Furthermore, communities with higher levels of variation in plant traits and pollinator use showed a nested structure and were more feasible. Our research highlights the importance of preserving intraspecific variation in traits and resource use within populations.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lucas P. Martins, Daniel B. Stouffer, Pedro G. Blendinger, Katrin Bohning-Gaese, Galo Buitron-Jurado, Marta Correia, Jose Miguel Costa, D. Matthias Dehling, Camila Donatti, Carine Emer, Mauro Galetti, Ruben Heleno, Pedro Jordano, Icaro Menezes, Jose Carlos Morante-Filho, Marcia C. Munoz, Eike Lena Neuschulz, Marco Aurelio Pizo, Marta Quitian, Roman A. Ruggera, Francisco Saavedra, Vinicio Santillan, Virginia Sanz D'Angelo, Matthias Schleuning, Luis Pascoal da Silva, Fernanda Ribeiro da Silva, Sergio Timoteo, Anna Traveset, Maximilian G. R. Vollstadt, Jason M. Tylianakis
Summary: Species interactions can be influenced by ecological boundaries, and plant-frugivore networks show greater dissimilarity across ecoregion and biome boundaries while maintaining structural consistency.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Jorge Isla, Miguel Jacome-Flores, Juan M. Arroyo, Pedro Jordano
Summary: This study investigates the plant-frugivore interactions in the rapid population expansion of a Mediterranean juniper. The researchers found that these interactions are reconfigured to adapt to the expansion landscape template, and this reconfiguration accelerates plant colonization.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Leandro G. Cosmo, Ana Paula A. Assis, Marcus A. M. de Aguiar, Mathias M. Pires, Alfredo Valido, Pedro Jordano, John N. Thompson, Jordi Bascompte, Paulo R. Guimaraes Jr
Summary: Ecological interactions are vital for maintaining biodiversity on Earth. This study investigates the impact of direct and indirect effects in mutualistic networks, showing that indirect effects play a major role in determining species fitness. Indirect effects prevent coevolving species from adapting to their mutualistic partners and other environmental pressures, resulting in decreased fitness. The topological effect of peripheral species experiencing more indirect effects and greater reduction in fitness compared to central species is evident. The study also highlights how honeybees as a central species in pollination networks increase indirect effects, thus reducing the fitness of other species.