Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenheng Gong, Yan Wang, Chao Chen, Yuntao Xiong, Yue Zhou, Feng Xiao, Bo Li, Yi Wang
Summary: Invasive plants exhibit different adaptations to selection pressures over time and geographical gradients. Early-stage populations of Ageratina adenophora invest more energy in growth during the initial invasion stage and are more tolerant to simulated herbivory and high Cd stress compared to new stage populations.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mar Sobral, Luis Sampedro, Isabelle Neylan, David Siemens, Rodolfo Dirzo
Summary: As plants develop, they may reallocate their antiherbivore defense traits due to changing costs and benefits. Herbivory triggers genome methylation in targeted plants and their offspring, leading to direct induction of physical defenses in progeny by mother plants with effects lasting from seedling to reproductive stages. Transgenerational priming was observed in physical and chemical defenses, particularly in adult plants, indicating differences in transgenerational plasticity in response to herbivore offense across plant life stages.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Juliana Balluffi-Fry, Shawn J. Leroux, Yolanda F. Wiersma, Isabella C. Richmond, Travis R. Heckford, Matteo Rizzuto, Joanie L. Kennah, Eric Vander Wal
Summary: Intraspecific feeding choices play a significant role in herbivore foraging decisions. Herbivores respond to plant quality variation based on nutritional and energetic demands. Plant growing conditions can influence herbivore body conditions, but the interactions between plants and herbivores are also mediated by energetic statistics.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
J. L. L. Feitosa, L. C. T. Chaves, L. V. M. V. Queiroz-Veras, R. J. Miranda, C. G. A. Ormond, B. P. Ferreira
Summary: Parrotfishes contribute to reef processes through feeding, and their sociobiology influences their ecosystem impact. Territorial groups show selectivity for sandy substrate while stationary groups prefer filamentous algae. Differences in feeding preferences are also observed between initial phase and terminal phase individuals.
Article
Limnology
Laura J. Falkenberg, Dina-Leigh Simons, Kathryn M. Anderson
Summary: The study found that moderate warming significantly reduces survival for two tropical gastropod species, while not affecting feeding rate and oxygen consumption. This suggests that maintaining physiological rates alone is not enough to sustain organism survival under elevated temperatures.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Yiqun Zhou, Hao Zheng, Dandan Gao, Jie Zhao
Summary: The population dynamics and feeding preferences of three bacterial-feeding nematodes were evaluated in this study. Different nematode species indeed have distinct feeding preferences. This highlights the deficiencies in the understanding of the feeding behavior and life-history strategies of soil nematodes.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yayuan Chen, Adriana Puentes, Christer Bjorkman, Agnes Brosset, Helena Bylund
Summary: Experiments conducted on Scots pine seedlings revealed significant differences in plant defense efficacy between MeJA and mechanical damage treatments. Needle-piercing damage treatment actually increased insect feeding, while MeJA significantly slowed down seedling growth.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Aino Kalske, James D. Blande, Satu Ramula
Summary: This study demonstrates the significance of soil microbiota on the plant performance, herbivore resistance, and volatile organic compounds production in Lupinus polyphyllus. The intact soil inoculum has a greater impact on plants of native origin, while plants of invasive origin exhibit higher resistance to snails. However, this resistance difference disappears when soil microbes are reduced.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Sofia Castell y Tickell, Natalie H. N. Low, Robert W. Lamb, Margarita Brandt, Jon D. Witman
Summary: Sea stars in Galápagos have diverse diets and play important roles as consumers in benthic ecosystems. Different species show distinct feeding habits and have different ecological impacts on prey, highlighting the importance of understanding their functional roles for ecosystem management.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nicholas A. McMillan, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Craig A. Davis, Robert G. Hamilton, Landon. K. Neumann, Samantha M. Cady
Summary: Invasive species may have scale-dependent effects on biodiversity, being positively related to biodiversity at large spatial scales. This study found that the invasive legume, Lespedeza cuneata, had negative effects on grassland plant diversity at small spatial scales, but neutral or positive effects at large spatial scales. Control and eradication strategies for invasive species may not be warranted or effective if the negative relationship between abundance of the invasive species and biodiversity is not clearly supported by data and if invasion is spatially limited across large landscapes.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sara A. Johnson, Janice Coons, David N. Zaya, Brenda Molano-Flores
Summary: Many rare plant species lack up-to-date research on their reproductive ecology, which poses challenges for conservation efforts. In this study, we collected reproductive data for the federally threatened and state endangered Florida endemic mint, Macbridea alba. Our findings provide valuable information for reassessing the species' protected status and planning recovery efforts.
Article
Ecology
Michelle V. Evans, John M. Drake, Lindsey Jones, Courtney C. Murdock
Summary: Asymmetric competition between Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi has resulted in Ae. aegypti emerging as the dominant competitor. The spread of An. stephensi into the African continent could lead to urban transmission of malaria, increasing the human population at risk. Competitive dynamics may play a role in determining the distribution of An. stephensi across its invasive range.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tommy Andriollo, Johan R. Michaux, Manuel Ruedi
Summary: Using DNA metabarcoding, this study investigated the differential diet of three closely-related bat species in sympatry, revealing strong seasonal and spatial variations in diet composition at both intra- and interspecific levels. It was found that each bat species utilized different feeding grounds and hunting techniques, primarily driven by habitat, highlighting the importance of temporally comprehensive samples in understanding species coexistence. Valuable information on species coexistence and resource partitioning can be derived from the taxonomic identity of prey obtained by metabarcoding.
Article
Ecology
Cher F. Y. Chow, Emmy Wassenius, Maria Dornelas, Andrew S. Hoey
Summary: This study investigated the effects of body size and species traits on the spatial scaling of foraging patterns in herbivorous coral reef fishes. The results showed that species identity was a stronger predictor than body size for all foraging metrics. Although foraging area was mainly explained by species, the models for tortuosity and mean inter-foray distance had a small effect of body size.
Article
Ecology
Rachel L. L. Gunn, Cassandra E. E. Benkwitt, Nicholas A. J. Graham, Ian R. R. Hartley, Adam C. C. Algar, Sally A. A. Keith
Summary: Human-induced environmental changes, such as the introduction of invasive species, can disrupt nutrient flows across ecosystems and have negative consequences for ecosystem function. In this study, we found that an invasive species (black rats) disrupts a nutrient pathway provided by seabirds, leading to changes in territorial behavior of coral reef fish. Rat eradication as a conservation strategy has the potential to restore species interactions and influence populations and communities at higher ecological levels.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)