Article
Ecology
Medha Bulusu, Florian Ellsasser, Christian Stiegler, Joyson Ahongshangbam, Isa Marques, Hendrayanto Hendrayanto, Alexander Roll, Dirk Holscher
Summary: This study quantified evapotranspiration (ET) from a tropical rainforest using high-resolution thermal images and a simple modeling framework. The average ET was 0.48 mm h-1 and showed spatial and temporal variations across different sites and seasons. The results improve our understanding of forest-water interactions and can aid the development of vegetation-atmosphere models.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Huai Yang, Ting Huang, Yide Li, Wenjie Liu, Jialin Fu, Biao Huang, Qiu Yang
Summary: This study investigated the spatial variations and control mechanisms of soil respiration in a 60-ha plot of old-growth tropical rainforest. The results showed that the average soil respiration rate in the plot was 4.312 +/- 0.0410 (SE) μmol m(-2) s(-1). Geostatistical analysis revealed a moderate spatial dependence of soil respiration in the plot. Regression analysis indicated significant positive correlation with soil phosphorus and negative correlation with slope.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Reuber Antoniazzi, Roger Guevara, Jose Garcia-Franco, Milan Janda, Maurice Leponce, Wesley Dattilo
Summary: This study found that in a Mexican tropical rainforest, ants were more likely to be found on baits lower in the canopy, and increased tree height and epiphyte/climbing plant abundance led to decreasing ant dominance. Each plot in the ecosystem presented a unique set of ant species, with little influence from micro-environmental factors on the foraging of dominant ant species within canopy trees.
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sergio Nicasio-Arzeta, Isela E. Zermeno-Hernandez, Susana Maza-Villalobos, Julieta Benitez-Malvido
Summary: The study found that the diversity of animal-dispersed tree seedlings in highly deforested rainforests is strongly influenced by landscape configuration. Specifically, the amount of secondary forest influenced α-diversity, and increased species richness was mainly observed in landscapes with highly aggregated forest patches.
Article
Forestry
Albin Larsson Ekstro, Paulina Bergmark, Anne-Maarit Hekkala
Summary: The study found that ecoparks can sustain greater abundance and richness of nationally red-listed beetles compared to conventionally managed production landscapes, with local deadwood availability affecting species assemblages differently in the south and north study areas. The results highlight the potential of multifunctional forests in conserving biodiversity of saproxylic beetle species, especially red-listed species, and the importance of local deadwood availability.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nguyen Hong Hai, Yousef Erfanifard, Van Bac Bui, Trinh Hien Mai, Any Mary Petritan, Ion Catalin Petritan
Summary: By studying two topographically different plots in tropical evergreen forests, it was found that community compositions were significantly influenced by topographic variables, and interspecific interactions showed significant changes with increasing spatial scales. Spatial segregation, mixing, and partial overlap were revealed as important species interactions at different scales.
Article
Ecology
Weichen Hou, Mengfei He, Yanwen Qi, Tiedong Liu, Jinhuan Luo
Summary: More than half of the world's tropical lowland rainforests have been lost due to conversion to agricultural land. Restoring soil functioning in degraded tropical lowland rainforests is crucial for ecological restoration. This study in a primary tropical lowland rainforest in China identified deterministic process (habitat filtering) as the key factor influencing nematode community assembly.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
David A. Brindis-Badillo, Victor Arroyo-Rodriguez, Eduardo Mendoza, German Wies, Miguel Martinez-Ramos
Summary: Deforestation of old-growth forests has a significant impact on biodiversity, including rare species. This study analyzed demographic changes of four canopy dominant tree species in the Lacandon rainforest, Mexico, and identified the thresholds for local extinctions. Retaining more than 40% of old-growth forest cover in the landscape is recommended to conserve dominant species.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Helen T. Murphy, Matt G. Bradford
Summary: Big trees and abundant species play important roles in driving the spatial distribution of species richness in forests, particularly through niche partitioning along disturbance gradients.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Wenjie Liu, Yamin Jiang, Qiu Yang, Huai Yang, Yide Li, Zhaolei Li, Wei Mao, Yiqi Luo, Xu Wang, Zhenghong Tan
Summary: This study investigated the spatial variation and stability mechanisms of soil organic carbon (SOC) in tropical montane forests, showing that terrain, particularly convexity, plays a crucial role in influencing the distribution and accumulation of SOC. Terrain had a significant impact on the spatial variations in SOC, with convexity explaining the distribution of SOC and its physical stability fractions (HFC) best.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ying Ma, Xiang Zhou
Summary: The deconvolution method CARD combines cell-type-specific expression information from scRNA-seq with correlation in cell-type composition across tissue locations, improving accuracy of deconvolution. It can also impute cell-type compositions and gene expression levels at unmeasured tissue locations.
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(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
Forestry
Xu-Xiang Weng, Yanpei Guo, Zhiyao Tang
Summary: This study explored the impact of neighborhood competition on tree growth using census data from a 50-ha plot on Barro Colorado Island. The results showed that neighborhood competition negatively affected tree growth, especially for smaller trees. The strength of this relationship was influenced by spatial and temporal factors.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Bai-Ge Miao, Yan-Qiong Peng, Daa-Rong Yang, Yasuhiro Kubota, Evan P. Economo, Cong Liu
Summary: The study examined the effects of climate and land-use interactions on butterfly diversity in southwestern China, finding that increasing land-use intensity decreased butterfly diversity and simplified species composition. The model of land-use intensity explained species richness variation in tropical rainforest, while the climate and land-use intensity interaction model best explained species richness variation in savanna. Climate modulated the effects of land-use intensity on butterfly diversity in the savanna ecosystem, with species composition responding differently to climate in tropical rainforest and savanna.
Article
Ecology
Munique C. Reid, Cara Miller, Michael A. Reid, Ross M. Thompson
Summary: Describing the hydrogeomorphic character of rivers in a holistic way is essential to understanding the processes whereby freshwater ecosystems maintain patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem processes. This study on the Upper Mississippi River in the USA reveals unique patterns in hydrogeomorphic character across different spatial and temporal scales, emphasizing the importance of an interdisciplinary, multi-scale approach in investigating the influence of the physical template on biodiversity and ecosystem processes.
Article
Ecology
Dieison A. Moi, Gustavo Q. Romero, Erik Jeppesen, Pavel Kratina, Diego C. Alves, Pablo A. P. Antiqueira, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Bruno R. S. Figueiredo, Claudia C. Bonecker, Aliny P. F. Pires, Louizi S. M. Braghin, Roger P. Mormul
Summary: This study examines the effects of nutrient loading on shallow lakes, and how regime shifts from clear water to turbid or shaded states affect biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The results show that functional diversity is the best predictor of ecosystem multifunctionality, and that regime shifts towards turbid or shaded states negatively impact taxonomic diversity and functional diversity of fish and zooplankton, leading to decreased multifunctionality.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Pablo Augusto P. Antiqueira, Owen L. Petchey, Felipe Rezende, Luiz Felipe Machado Velho, Luzia Cleide Rodrigues, Gustavo Quevedo Romero
Summary: This study investigates the effects of aquatic warming and top predator loss on trophic relationships in different biological groups within and across ecosystems. The results show that top predator loss has substantial impacts on various food web compartments, influencing richness and abundance of different species. The findings provide insights into how anthropogenic changes like aquatic warming and top predator loss may affect biodiversity within and across ecosystems in the future.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Regis Cereghino, Mark Kurtis Trzcinski, A. Andrew M. MacDonald, Nicholas A. C. Marino, Dimaris Acosta Mercado, Celine Leroy, Bruno Corbara, Gustavo Q. Romero, Vinicius F. Farjalla, Ignacio M. Barberis, Olivier Dezerald, Edd Hammill, Trisha B. Atwood, Gustavo C. O. Piccoli, Fabiola Ospina Bautista, Jean-Francois Carrias, Juliana S. Leal, Guillermo Montero, Pablo A. P. Antiqueira, Rodrigo Freire, Emilio Realpe, Sarah L. Amundrud, Paula M. de Omena, Alice B. A. Campos, Diane S. Srivastava
Summary: This study found that geographic variation in the response of animal communities to climate change is influenced by differences in physiological matching to local conditions and functional redundancy within species pools.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gustavo Q. Romero, Thiago Goncalves-Souza, Tomas Roslin, Robert J. Marquis, Nicholas A. C. Marino, Vojtech Novotny, Tatiana Cornelissen, Jerome Orivel, Shen Sui, Gustavo Aires, Reuber Antoniazzi, Wesley Dattilo, Crasso P. B. Breviglieri, Annika Busse, Heloise Gibb, Thiago J. Izzo, Tomas Kadlec, Victoria Kemp, Monica Kersch-Becker, Michal Knapp, Pavel Kratina, Rebecca Luke, Stefan Majnaric, Robin Maritz, Paulo Mateus Martins, Esayas Mendesil, Jaroslav Michalko, Anna Mrazova, Samuel Novais, Cassio C. Pereira, Mirela S. Peric, Jana S. Petermann, Servio P. Ribeiro, Katerina Sam, M. Kurtis Trzcinski, Camila Vieira, Natalie Westwood, Maria L. Bernaschini, Valentina Carvajal, Ezequiel Gonzalez, Mariana Jausoro, Stanis Kaensin, Fabiola Ospina, E. Jacob Cristobal-Perez, Mauricio Quesada, Pierre Rogy, Diane S. Srivastava, Scarlett Szpryngiel, Ayco J. M. Tack, Tiit Teder, Martin Videla, Mari-Liis Viljur, Julia Koricheva
Summary: Current climate change is disrupting biotic interactions and eroding biodiversity worldwide. However, leaf shelters constructed by arthropods can provide shelter for species sensitive to aridity, high temperatures, and climate variability. This study found that leaf rolls support larger organisms and higher arthropod biomass and species diversity compared to non-rolled control leaves. The magnitude of the leaf rolls' effect varied depending on long- and short-term climate conditions, metrics, and trophic groups. Leaf roll use may have both proximal and ultimate causes, with the projected increases in climate variability and aridity likely to increase the importance of biotic refugia in mitigating the effects of climate change on species persistence.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Mark P. Nessel, Theresa Konnovitch, Gustavo Q. Romero, Angelica L. Gonzalez
Summary: Recent studies have shown that global declines in insects and their relatives may be caused by increased inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus. This study synthesized the effects of nutrient enrichment on the abundance of hexapods and arachnids, finding significant decreases in these groups overall. The negative effects of nutrient additions were stronger for sensitive aquatic insects and affected both above-ground and below-ground arthropods.
Article
Plant Sciences
Fabielle M. Bando, Bruno R. S. Figueiredo, Dieison A. Moi, Sidinei M. Thomaz, Thaisa S. Michelan, Jorge Garcia-Giron, Jani Heino, Janne Alahuhta, Gustavo Q. Romero, Roger P. Mormul
Summary: A growing body of evidence indicates that biological invasions are causing changes in the composition of species in communities over space and time. Previous studies conducted at small scales and short durations may have underestimated the impact of exotic species on native communities.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Liam N. N. Nash, Lucas W. W. Zorzetti, Pablo A. P. Antiqueira, Chris Carbone, Gustavo Q. Q. Romero, Pavel Kratina
Summary: Global patterns of aquatic insect emergence show clear seasonal variations, but their response to climate change remains understudied. This study found that with climate warming, aquatic insects will emerge over longer periods, with lower abundances and less pronounced seasonal patterns, which may disrupt ecosystem functions dependent on aquatic insects, such as riparian predation, pollination, and disease transmission.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Dieison A. Moi, Margenny Barrios, Giancarlo Tesitore, Maite Burwood, Gustavo Q. Romero, Roger P. Mormul, Pavel Kratina, Leandro Juen, Thaisa S. Michelan, Luciano F. A. Montag, Gabriel M. Cruz, Jorge Garcia-Giron, Jani Heino, Robert M. Hughes, Bruno R. S. Figueiredo, Franco Teixeira de Mello
Summary: Human land-use change poses a significant threat to natural ecosystems globally. This study explores the effects of human land-use on plant and animal communities and their functions, such as biomass production. The findings reveal that intensive human land-uses lead to species loss, trait homogenization, and reduced animal biomass production in streams.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Melissa Progenio, Pablo A. P. Antiqueira, Felipe R. Oliveira, Bianca R. Meira, Fernando M. Lansac-Toha, Luzia C. Rodrigues, Gustavo Q. Romero, Liam N. Nash, Pavel Kratina, Luiz F. M. Velho
Summary: An experiment was conducted to test the impacts of predicted future warming on freshwater aquatic communities. The results showed that warming strongly structures freshwater communities and enhances beta-diversity. These effects are influenced by habitat size and detrital resources.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Thiago Goncalves-Souza, Leonardo S. Chaves, Gabriel X. Boldorini, Natalia Ferreira, Reginaldo A. F. Gusmao, Phamela Bernardes Peronico, Nathan J. Sanders, Fabricio B. Teresa
Summary: Trait-based approaches elucidate the mechanisms underlying biodiversity response to, or effects on, the environment. Nevertheless, the lack of knowledge on species traits and their functionality presents a challenge in the application of these approaches. This study conducted a systematic review to investigate the trends and gaps in trait-based animal ecology and suggests crucial steps to guide trait selection. The importance of addressing these gaps is highlighted, as it can lead to a more predictive trait-based animal ecology. Evaluation: 8 out of 10.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Arthur Ramalho Magalhaes, Claudia Torres Codeco, Jens-Christian Svenning, Luis E. Escobar, Paige Van de Vuurst, Thiago Goncalves-Souza
Summary: This study examined the role of socioeconomic variables in predicting neglected tropical zoonoses in Brazil and found that socioeconomic factors are as important as environmental factors in influencing disease transmission risk. The results highlight the importance of poverty and natural ecosystem destruction in the transmission of tropical diseases.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF POVERTY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Michel V. Garey, Thiago Goncalves-Souza, Fausto Nomura, Franco Leandro Souza, Mirco Sole, Marcelo Menin, Denise C. Rossa-Feres
Summary: Determining drivers of beta diversity is a complex task that involves processes acting synergistically across multiple scales. This study examined the beta diversity patterns of pond-living tadpoles across multiple scales in five Brazilian biomes and identified the relative influence of environmental and spatial factors.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Liam N. Nash, Pavel Kratina, Fatima C. Recalde, John Iwan Jones, Thiago Izzo, Gustavo Q. Romero
Summary: The influence of aquatic resource-inputs on terrestrial communities, particularly in the tropics, is not well understood. Stable isotope analysis revealed that riparian predators in tropical forests consume more aquatic prey and exhibit greater trophic diversity compared to those in temperate regions. This suggests that tropical riparian communities rely more heavily on and are more affected by aquatic resources, making them more vulnerable to disruptions in aquatic-terrestrial linkages.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Thomas Michael Lewinsohn, Mario Almeida Neto, Adriana Almeida, Paulo Inacio Prado, Leonardo Re Jorge
Summary: Biodiversity has traditionally been understood in terms of species diversity, but recent research is expanding this concept to include interactions among species. This study focuses on the interactions between Asteraceae plants and flowerhead-feeding insects in Brazil. The research shows that interaction diversity can be assessed and incorporated into spatial and among-host components, leading to the development of a new field called interaction geography. The study also highlights internationally recognized research on interaction diversity in plant-frugivore and plant-pollinator interactions, as well as new theoretical models. The integration of field studies with theoretical and analytical approaches has established the importance of interaction diversity in monitoring, conserving, and restoring biodiversity.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mateus Fornazari Zanatta, Gustavo Quevedo Romero, German Antonio Villanueva-Bonilla, Joao Vasconcellos-Neto
Summary: Female hunting spiders of Aysha piassaguera prefer to build their pyramid-like nests near the ground and on monocotyledonous plants, possibly to protect their eggs from predators and parasitoids. They use long leaves for nest construction, which allows for a more symmetrical and sealed nest.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY
(2022)
