Article
Soil Science
Sofie Sjogersten, Betsabe De La Barreda-Bautista, Chloe Brown, Doreen Boyd, Hugo Lopez-Rosas, Elizabeth Hernandez, Roberto Monroy, Matilde Rincon, Christopher Vane, Vicky Moss-Hayes, Jose Alberto Gallardo-Cruz, Dulce Infante-Mata, Jorge Hoyos-Santillan, Jonathan Vidal Solorzano, Candelario Peralta-Carreta, Patricia Moreno-Casasola
Summary: The study revealed the significant carbon stocks in Mexican wetlands, with unprotected swamp forests and marshes containing substantial peat deposits, while grazed areas showed lower carbon storage effectiveness. Differences in carbon storage among wetland vegetation types in different regions highlight the need for region-specific government policies to protect coastal wetland carbon stocks.
Article
Ecology
Lauren N. Carley, Susan G. Letcher
Summary: Research shows that chemically intensive agriculture can lead to reduced expression of putative antiherbivore defenses in plant populations, potentially weakening chemical defenses. This change is associated with a decrease in herbivore damage on plants downstream from agricultural areas.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tina Christmann, Imma Oliveras Menor
Summary: The study identified research gaps in tropical mountain ecosystem restoration and proposed five directions for future research. Success of restoration interventions varies and is generally limited by dispersal and microhabitat conditions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Nohemi Huanca Nunez, Robin L. Chazdon, Sabrina E. Russo
Summary: Seed-rain-successional feedbacks play a deterministic role in shaping successional trajectories in secondary wet forests, with increasing strength as the forest ages. The composition of seed rain becomes more similar to that of mature forests as successional niches and seed-rain-successional feedbacks shape successional trajectories.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Justin D. Gay, Bryce Currey, E. N. J. Brookshire
Summary: This study examines the topographic signatures of the tropical nitrogen cycle by investigating soil nitrogen content and stable isotopes in tropical montane forests across elevation gradients worldwide. The findings suggest that microbial nitrogen limitation is widespread in tropical montane forest ecosystems and that they are highly sensitive to climate warming.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Justin D. Gay, Bryce Currey, E. N. J. Brookshire
Summary: The study found that soil nitrogen concentration in tropical montane forests significantly increases with elevation, while stable isotopes decrease, indicating reduced microbial nitrogen processing and lower gaseous nitrogen losses. Temperature plays a key role in nitrogen changes, with an apparent temperature sensitivity of around 1.9. These findings support the widespread microbial nitrogen limitation and high sensitivity to climate warming in tropical montane forest ecosystems.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Elia Ramirez-Arriaga, Mercedes B. Pramparo, Enrique Martinez-Hernandez, Javier Helenes-Escamilla
Summary: The study revealed a rich diversity of terrestrial and marine vegetation in the San Gregorio Formation core, reflecting the presence of two temperate highland communities and local semi-arid vegetation. Analysis grouped the SGF assemblages into four palynozones, revealing the characteristics of the late Oligocene period in the area.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Fernanda M. P. Oliveira, Talita Camara, Jose I. F. Durval, Caroline L. S. Oliveira, Xavier Arnan, Alan N. Andersen, Elaine M. S. Ribeiro, Inara R. Leal
Summary: In Brazilian Caatinga, plants rely on ant protection services mediated by EFNs to defend against herbivores. The study found that ant attack rates decrease with increased aridity, which is attributed to changes in the composition of attendant ant species.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Camila Benedita da Silva-Viana, Ricardo E. Vicente, Lucas A. Kaminski, Thiago J. Izzo
Summary: Ant gardens, formed by aggressive parabiotic ants, play a key role in maintaining diversity in tropical forests, particularly in the Amazon. These ants extend their protective effect to neighboring plants with extrafloral nectaries, reducing herbivory on these plants. This mutualistic relationship can impact ecological succession and coevolution in the Amazon forest.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Isabella Rodrigues Lancellotti, Antonio Jose Mayhe-Nunes, Rodrigo Machado Feitosa, Anderson dos Santos Portugal, Marcelo Guerra Santos
Summary: This study characterized the ant community on the fronds of the Pteridium esculentum subsp. arachnoideum fern species in Brazil. It found a rich and diverse ant community, with Ectatomma tuberculatum and Solenopsis sp.1 being the most abundant species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Shuzi Zhang, Runguo Zang
Summary: The study found that functional diversity, redundancy and over-redundancy were positively correlated with species richness, while functional vulnerability was negatively correlated with species richness in old-growth tropical forests. The null model tests revealed that species in each forest type were packed into a few functional entities, resulting in functional over-redundancy and vulnerability. Functionally diverse tropical forests may have high probability of redundancy, but it cannot fully offset functional vulnerability in the ecosystems.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Nicolas Picard, Frederic Mortier, Pierre Ploton, Jingjing Liang, Geraldine Derroire, Jean-Francois Bastin, Narayanan Ayyappan, Fabrice Benedet, Faustin Boyemba Bosela, Connie J. Clark, Thomas W. Crowther, Nestor Laurier Engone Obiang, Eric Forni, David Harris, Alfred Ngomanda, John R. Poulsen, Bonaventure Sonke, Pierre Couteron, Sylvie Gourlet-Fleury
Summary: The ordination of tropical rain forest plots based on stand-level structural attributes often demonstrates a gradient from poorly stocked to highly stocked plots, along with strong positive correlations between biomass, basal area, and the number of large trees. By filtering out patterns inherited from individual trees, this study unveiled hidden site differences that provide more information on ecological processes, such as different histories of large-scale forest disturbance.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Isamara Mendes-Silva, Drielly Queiroga, Eduardo Soares Calixto, Helena Maura Torezan-Silingardi, Kleber Del-Claro
Summary: This study investigated the impact of endophytic florivorous beetles on the reproductive success of Banisteriopsis plants, and examined the role of ants visiting extrafloral nectaries (EFNs). The results showed that the outcomes of these interactions depend on intrinsic factors of each plant species.
Article
Entomology
Sirapat Yotkham, Piyawan Suttiprapan, Natdanai Likhitrakarn, Chayanit Sulin, Wichai Srisuka
Summary: This study investigated the biodiversity and distribution of longhorn beetles across different elevation gradients and seasons in six regions of Thailand. A total of 199 morphospecies were identified from 1376 specimens collected by malaise traps. Longhorn beetles showed a peak in species richness and abundance during the hot and early rainy season, except for the southern region which peaked in the rainy season. The study concluded that the distribution of most species was correlated with regions and forest type at middle and low elevations.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jie Yang, Xiaoyang Song, Min Cao, Xiaobao Deng, Wenfu Zhang, Xiaofei Yang, Nathan G. Swenson
Summary: Individual-level models of tree growth built using integrative traits outperform models built using commonly measured traits. Additionally, individual-level models do not support findings of trait-growth relationships quantified at the species level.
Article
Ecology
Mathias M. Pires, James L. O'Donnell, Laura A. Burkle, Cecilia Diaz-Castelazo, David H. Hembry, Justin D. Yeakel, Erica A. Newman, Lucas P. Medeiros, Marcus A. M. deAguiar, Paulo R. Guimaraes Jr
Article
Entomology
S. Novais, V Hernandez-Ortiz, K. Rodriguez-Hernandez, M. Quesada, J. Valenzuela, G. W. Fernandes, A. Aguirre-Jaimes
Article
Plant Sciences
GeraldoWilson Fernandes, Armando Aguirre-Jaimes, Ximena Contreras-Varela, Eliezer Cocoletzi, Wesley Oliveira de Sousa, Lazaro Araujo, Barbara Nunes, Guillermo Angeles, Mauricio Quesada
Summary: In the Brazilian Cerrado, a weevil induces galls on the leaves of Croton antisyphiliticus, leading to an increased production of extrafloral nectaries on the gall surface. The study found differences in trichome and stomata structures between leaves and galls, with a higher density of trichomes on galls. The overproduction of glands on galls may potentially enhance plant defense against galling insects.
Article
Ecology
Samuel Novais, E. Jacob Cristobal-Perez, Armando Aguirre-Jaimes, Mauricio Quesada
Summary: The mutualistic interaction between Azteca pittieri and Cordia alliodora promotes new habitats for arthropods through abandoned dead domatia. Ants are the most species-rich group in abandoned dead domatia, which serve as nesting sites for them. Secondary arthropod species richness, abundance, and colonization frequency are greater in dead domatia compared with live domatia.
Article
Entomology
Paola A. Gonzalez-Vanegas, Matthias Ros, Jose G. Garcia-Franco, Armando Aguirre-Jaimes
Summary: This study analyzed the buzzing bee community of twelve tropical buzz-pollinated co-occurring plant species in a tropical montane cloud forest. The study found that the number of bee visits depended significantly on the number of flowers and years. Interactions between bees and plants showed a tendency to generalization.
NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Carmen Agglael Vergara-Torres, Cecilia Diaz-Castelazo, Victor Hugo Toledo-Hernandez, Alejandro Flores-Palacios
Summary: Ants benefit myrmecophytic plants by defending them from herbivores and offering nutrients, while also potentially affecting the seed establishment of other plant species. In forests with higher ant diversity, myrmecophytic plants are more significantly impacted by seed removal by ants.
Article
Entomology
Javier Quinto, Cecilia Diaz-Castelazo, Victor Rico-Gray, Ana Paola Martinez-Falcon, Luis Abdala-Roberts, Victor Parra-Tabla
Summary: This study assessed temporal patterns of variation in community structure and plant-herbivore interactions in early successional arboreal communities. The results showed significant differences in species richness and ecological diversity between years and seasons, while network structure and interaction evenness remained stable.
NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Luis Javier Fuentes-Jacques, Paul Hanson-Snortum, Vicente Hernandez-Ortiz, Cecilia Diaz-Castelazo, Klaus Mehltreter
Summary: This study reviewed the interactions between ferns and insects, analyzing the feeding habits of insects, fern taxa, and geographic location. The results showed that the interactions between ferns and insects were not significantly nested and had relatively low levels of specialization overall.
Article
Entomology
Luis Javier Fuentes-Jacques, Paul Hanson-Snortum, Klaus Mehltreter, Cecilia Diaz-Castelazo, Vicente Hernandez-Ortiz
Summary: This study investigates the adaptation of a spore-feeding moth on different host plants. The results show that when larvae were transferred to alternative hosts, they were able to complete their life cycle but consumed more spores, took longer to reach adulthood, and had lower survival rates. These findings suggest a strong adaptation of the moth species to its original host plant.
ENTOMOLOGIA EXPERIMENTALIS ET APPLICATA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mariana Cuautle, Cecilia Diaz-Castelazo, Citlalli Castillo-Guevara, Carolina Guadalupe Torres Lagunes
Summary: Land-use change is a major threat to biodiversity in terrestrial environments. This study investigated the effects of land-use change on ant-plant networks in a temperate forest in Mexico. The findings suggest that the conversion from native oak forest to induced grassland resulted in a more nested and generalist ant-plant network.
Article
Ecology
Yurixhi Maldonado-Lopez, Walter Santos de Araujo, Antonio Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Ken Oyama, Marcilio Fagundes, Cecilia Diaz-Castelazo, Karina Sanchez-Echeverria, Magno Borges, Griselda Perez-Lopez, Pablo Cuevas-Reyes
Summary: Hybridization of oak trees has significant effects on the structure of herbivorous insect communities and their associated natural enemies. In this study, the effects of hybridization between Q. magnoliifolia and Q. resinosa on insect gallers and their parasitoids were examined. The results showed that the plant-galler networks and galler-parasitoid networks varied among different oak groups, with hybrid oak networks exhibiting higher diversity of interactions, connectivity, and generality. Hybrids were more susceptible to insect galler incidence and had lower pressure from parasitoids.
ARTHROPOD-PLANT INTERACTIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Mario A. A. Sandoval-Molina, Jose G. Garcia-Franco, Cecilia Diaz-Castelazo, Mariusz Krzysztof Janczur
Summary: In exchange for extrafloral nectar, ants can deter herbivores from plants and improve their growth and survival. This study investigates the sex-related differences in ant-plant interactions in Opuntia robusta plants with extrafloral nectaries, and how resource investment influences the outcomes of these interactions in terms of ant foraging, herbivory, growth, and survival.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ximena Contreras-Varela, Jose G. Garcia-Franco, Armando Aguirre-Jaimes
Summary: The study found that in La Mancha in Veracruz, Mexico, Commelina erecta exhibits non-reciprocal monomorphic enantiostyly. The proportion of floral morphs varied among different sampling months. Male flowers had larger anther area and filament length compared to hermaphroditic flowers. A total of 220 visits to the flowers were recorded, with the main floral visitor being the halictid bee Augoclorella sp. Both left- and right-styled flowers had equal success in producing fruits and seeds of the same weight and size, but the overall reproductive success was low, with a fruit set of only 29%.
Article
Ornithology
Omar A. Hernandez-Davila, Javier Laborde, Vinicio J. Sosa, Cecilia Diaz-Castelazo
Summary: The study focused on the interaction network between frugivorous birds and zoochorous plants in riparian strips of cloud forest in deforested landscapes of Central Veracruz, Mexico. The network consisted of 24 bird species and 30 plant species, with low connectance and moderate modularity. High centrality values of certain bird and plant species were found to be crucial for network stability, with the loss of these species severely undermining the network's robustness.
Article
Plant Sciences
Armando Aguirre-Jaimes, Juan Carlos Lopez-Acosta, Rodolfo Dirzo
Summary: Species richness decreases as fragment size decreases, with small fragments having distinct assemblages compared to continuous forest. Representation of mature-forest species is reduced in small fragments compared to light-demanding species.
BOTANICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
