Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Limoilou-Amelie Renaud, Marco Festa-Bianchet, Fanie Pelletier
Summary: In species with long gestation periods like bighorn sheep, autumn temperature and precipitation drive the timing of parturition, while vegetation phenology does not have a significant impact. The mismatch between individual parturition date and spring green-up fluctuates over time but does not show a clear trend, and it negatively affects lamb weaning mass. The study suggests that the consequences of phenological mismatch on fitness may vary depending on the species' life history, emphasizing the complexity in assessing trophic mismatches under the context of climate change.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Melodie Kunegel-Lion, Eric W. Neilson, Nicolas Mansuy, Devin W. Goodsman
Summary: Increases in frequent disturbances caused by climate change disrupt animal movement patterns and affect species distribution and abundance. Using static habitat models to predict animal locations in areas with frequent disturbances will likely produce inaccurate predictions.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Andrew J. Felton, Robert K. Shriver, Michael Stemkovski, John B. Bradford, Katharine N. Suding, Peter B. Adler
Summary: Rapid climate change can exceed ecosystems' adaptability, with consequences for ecosystem functioning often overlooked in climate change impact projections. Uncertainties related to climate disequilibrium are found to be a dominant source of uncertainty in long-term ecological response projections, with the importance of understanding and regulating climate disequilibrium processes emphasized for improving predictions and management.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Binbin V. Li, Bingkun Jiang
Summary: Livestock activities have a negative impact on forest structure and functions, with stronger effects in warmer and drier regions, and with single species grazing. Past grazing history of 1-5 years produces the strongest negative impact, but livestock activities also help reduce forest flammability.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Zdenek Vacek, Jan Cukor, Stanislav Vacek, Tomas Vaclavik, Katerina Kybicova, Jan Bartoska, Karolina Mahlerova, Santiago Montoya Molina
Summary: Tick-borne diseases are a major health problem globally, particularly in Europe where tick species, especially the common tick, have become more prevalent. Changes in tick distribution, the emergence of new species, and increased abundance due to forest management and climate change have been observed. This study aimed to investigate the impact of tree species composition and forest structure on the abundance of the common tick in different forest stands in Czechia. The analysis of collected ticks on monitored research plots revealed that coniferous stands and forest edges with wild ungulate habitat signs had the highest tick abundance, while clear-cut biotopes and mixed stands had the lowest numbers. Factors such as vertical structure, tree species diversity, and complex stand diversity had a significant negative effect on tick abundance. Close-to-nature silviculture of mixed forests resistant to climate extremes could potentially reduce tick abundance and tick-borne diseases compared to standard coniferous monocultures.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Arnaud Auber, Conor Waldock, Anthony Maire, Eric Goberville, Camille Albouy, Adam C. Algar, Matthew McLean, Anik Brind'Amour, Alison L. Green, Mark Tupper, Laurent Vigliola, Kristin Kaschner, Kathleen Kesner-Reyes, Maria Beger, Jerry Tjiputra, Aurele Toussaint, Cyrille Violle, Nicolas Mouquet, Wilfried Thuiller, David Mouillot
Summary: This study presents a functional vulnerability framework that incorporates uncertainty and reference conditions, allowing for the quantification of vulnerability to a wide range of threats. Through case studies on marine fishes and mammals, the study demonstrates the relevance and operationality of the framework, as well as the geographic and temporal patterns of functional vulnerability.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Guiyao Zhou, Xuhui Zhou, David J. Eldridge, Ximei Han, Yanjun Song, Ruiqiang Liu, Lingyan Zhou, Yanghui He, Zhenggang Du, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
Summary: This study synthesizes 120 studies from five continents and finds that forest restoration can promote multiple dimensions of biodiversity and ecosystem function across different climates and forest types. However, predicted climate changes may constrain the positive effects of forest rewilding, and tradeoffs exist in very old forests between biodiversity and ecosystem function.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenjing Chen, Huakun Zhou, Yang Wu, Jie Wang, Ziwen Zhao, Yuanze Li, Leilei Qiao, Kelu Chen, Guobin Liu, Coen Ritsema, Violette Geissen, Xinrong Guo, Sha Xue
Summary: The impact of microbial communities on ecosystem function varies due to the diverse biological attributes and sensitivities exhibited by different taxonomic groups. Understanding the functional traits and response characteristics of various taxa is crucial for predicting the effects of climate change on ecosystem function. In a study conducted in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, simulated warming significantly lowered ecosystem function in the grassland but not in the shrubland, due to the diverse responses of different taxa to warming conditions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Ying Sun, Lianhong Gu, Jiaming Wen, Christiaan van Der Tol, Albert Porcar-Castell, Joanna Joiner, Christine Y. Chang, Troy Magney, Lixin Wang, Leiqiu Hu, Uwe Rascher, Pablo Zarco-Tejada, Christopher B. Barrett, Jiameng Lai, Jimei Han, Zhenqi Luo
Summary: This paper discusses the complexity and challenges in remote sensing of Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) and proposes an analytical framework for inferring terrestrial vegetation structures and functions. The framework can aid in addressing environmental issues across different scales and timeframes.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Qing Qu, Zhen Wang, Quan Gan, Rentao Liu, Hongwei Xu
Summary: This study reveals that drought significantly reduces soil microbial biomass and enzyme activity at a global scale. Drought has a more pronounced impact on soil microbial biomass in croplands and grasslands, while drought intensity plays a major role in affecting enzyme activity.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jianqing Wang, Xiuzhen Shi, Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja, Qiling Guo, Jiaoyan Mao, Yunyan Tan, Guoyou Zhang
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of short-term elevated CO2 and O3 on agroecosystem multifunctionality, and found that the combined treatment significantly increased the multifunctionality index. Soil nematode abundances played a key role in regulating multifunctionality.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Pieter De Frenne, Jonathan Lenoir, Miska Luoto, Brett R. Scheffers, Florian Zellweger, Juha Aalto, Michael B. Ashcroft, Ditte M. Christiansen, Guillaume Decocq, Karen De Pauw, Sanne Govaert, Caroline Greiser, Eva Gril, Arndt Hampe, Tommaso Jucker, David H. Klinges, Irena A. Koelemeijer, Jonas J. Lembrechts, Ronan Marrec, Camille Meeussen, Jerome Ogee, Vilna Tyystjarvi, Pieter Vangansbeke, Kristoffer Hylander
Summary: Understanding forests' biodiversity and functions in relation to climate change requires integrating forest microclimates into ecological research. Future research should focus on unraveling the drivers and feedbacks of forest microclimates, mapping and predicting global and regional forest microclimates, and analyzing the impacts of microclimate on forest biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in the face of climate change. The availability of microclimatic data will revolutionize our understanding of the dynamics and implications of forest microclimates on biodiversity and ecological functions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Bengt Gunnar Jonsson, Jonas Dahlgren, Magnus Ekstrom, Per-Anders Esseen, Anton Grafstrom, Goran Stahl, Bertil Westerlund
Summary: Permanent plot data from the National Forest Inventory (NFI) in Sweden was analyzed to study changes in vegetation over a ten-year period. The results showed a significant decrease in many species and species groups, with the only increase observed in certain moss species in the southern regions.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Wenliang Zhou, Meng Wang, Kai Gao, Hualei Gao, Fuwen Wei, Yonggang Nie
Summary: This study reveals that different montane ungulate species have different responses to global warming. Some species mitigate the effects of warming through behavioral adjustments, while others do not display similar behavioral changes. Based on the research in this area, it is estimated that a portion of suitable summer habitats will become unsuitable as the climate warms.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Kayla S. Martinez-Soto, David S. Johnson
Summary: Climate migrants, especially those that are ecosystem engineers, can have profound impacts on recipient ecosystems. In this study, the expansion of the Atlantic marsh fiddler crab negatively affected the aboveground and belowground biomass of cordgrass Spartina alterniflora, as well as the biomass of benthic microalgae.
Article
Ecology
Bram van Moorter, Navinder J. Singh, Christer M. Rolandsen, Erling J. Solberg, Holger Dettki, Jyrki Pusenius, Johan Mansson, Hakan Sand, Jos M. Milner, Ole Roer, Aimee Tallian, Wiebke Neumann, Goran Ericsson, Atle Mysterud
Summary: Partial migration is common in the animal kingdom, with the competitive release hypothesis predicting that the proportion of migrants increases with the relative quality and size of seasonal ranges but decreases with migration cost and population density. A study using GPS-marked moose demonstrated that habitat availability in seasonal ranges influences the proportion of migrants, providing insight into the underlying mechanisms of migration at the population level.
Article
Ecology
Maarten J. E. Broekman, Jelle P. Hilbers, Mark A. J. Huijbregts, Thomas Mueller, Abdullahi H. Ali, Henrik Andren, Jeanne Altmann, Malin Aronsson, Nina Attias, Hattie L. A. Bartlam-Brooks, Floris M. van Beest, Jerrold L. Belant, Dean E. Beyer, Laura Bidner, Niels Blaum, Randall B. Boone, Mark S. Boyce, Michael B. Brown, Francesca Cagnacci, Rok Cerne, Simon Chamaille-Jammes, Nandintsetseg Dejid, Jasja Dekker, Arnaud L. J. Desbiez, Samuel L. Diaz-Munoz, Julian Fennessy, Claudia Fichtel, Christina Fischer, Jason T. Fisher, Ilya Fischhoff, Adam T. Ford, John M. Fryxell, Benedikt Gehr, Jacob R. Goheen, Morgan Hauptfleisch, A. J. Mark Hewison, Robert Hering, Marco Heurich, Lynne A. Isbell, Rene Janssen, Florian Jeltsch, Petra Kaczensky, Peter M. Kappeler, Miha Krofel, Scott LaPoint, A. David M. Latham, John D. C. Linnell, A. Catherine Markham, Jenny Mattisson, Emilia Patricia Medici, Guilherme de Miranda Mourao, Bram Van Moorter, Ronaldo G. Morato, Nicolas Morellet, Atle Mysterud, Stephen Mwiu, John Odden, Kirk A. Olson, Aivars Ornicans, Nives Pagon, Manuela Panzacchi, Jens Persson, Tyler Petroelje, Christer Moe Rolandsen, David Roshier, Daniel Rubenstein, Sonia Said, Albert R. Salemgareyev, Hall Sawyer, Niels Martin Schmidt, Nuria Selva, Agnieszka Sergiel, Jared Stabach, Jenna Stacy-Dawes, Frances E. C. Stewart, Jonas Stiegler, Olav Strand, Siva Sundaresan, Nathan J. Svoboda, Wiebke Ullmann, Ulrich Voigt, Jake Wall, Martin Wikelski, Christopher C. Wilmers, Filip Zieba, Tomasz Zwijacz-Kozica, Aafke M. Schipper, Marlee A. Tucker
Summary: This study evaluated habitat suitability data from the IUCN with GPS tracking data for 49 mammal species, showing that the two sources were largely consistent and can be used in macroecological studies. GPS tracking data can also help identify species and habitats for re-evaluation of IUCN habitat suitability.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Review
Ecology
David M. Forsyth, Sebastien Comte, Naomi E. Davis, Andrew J. Bengsen, Steeve D. Cote, David G. Hewitt, Nicolas Morellet, Atle Mysterud
Summary: Deer are critical components of many ecosystems, and accurately estimating deer abundance and density is crucial for understanding their roles. This study systematically reviewed journal articles published from 2004 to 2018 to evaluate trends in study objectives, methodologies, and abundance and density estimates, as well as their variations with biophysical and anthropogenic attributes. The findings highlight the need for reporting methodological details, robustly assessing bias, reporting precision, using methods that increase detection probability, and staying up to date on new methods to improve the usefulness of deer abundance and density estimates.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Atle Mysterud, Inger Maren Rivrud, Oystein Brekkum, Erling L. Meisingset
Summary: Supplemental feeding of cervids during winter is a common management practice, but it may increase the risk of disease transmission. This study investigated the space use of red deer in a CWD-affected region and found that snow depth is the main factor determining their space use during winter.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Atle Mysterud, Rolf Langvatn, Erling L. Meisingset, Inger Maren Rivrud
Summary: Population densities of cervids have increased in North America and Europe, leading to crop damage. The decline in vital rates of large herbivores is mainly caused by competition and depletion of natural food resources. However, the extent to which access to agricultural crops can buffer density effects in cervid populations is unknown.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Marie L. L. Davey, Stefaniya Kamenova, Frode Fossoy, Erling J. J. Solberg, Rebecca Davidson, Atle Mysterud, Christer M. M. Rolandsen
Summary: This study aims to optimize DNA metabarcoding technique for large-scale, non-invasive monitoring of gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes in wild ungulate populations. The results showed that DNA metabarcoding has better taxonomic resolution and higher sensitivity compared to traditional parasitological methods. However, to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of metabarcoding assays, choosing a DNA isolation method that involves mechanical cell disruption and maximizes the starting material volume is recommended.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Erling L. Meisingset, Joar Gusevik, Atle Skjorestad, Oystein Brekkum, Atle Mysterud, Frank Rosell
Summary: This study investigates the behavior of red deer in response to different types of human disturbance, particularly hunting. It found that red deer exhibit stronger fear responses during the hunting season and prefer denser resting sites.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Atle Mysterud
Summary: Many pathogens can infect multiple host species, making the management of wildlife diseases complicated. The processes determining spillover risk and subsequent transmission dynamics within and between species differ due to variable niche overlap and host competence.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Johannes De Groeve, Nico van de Weghe, Nathan Ranc, Nicolas Morellet, Nadege C. Bonnot, Benedikt Gehr, Marco Heurich, A. J. Mark Hewison, Max Kroeschel, John D. C. Linnell, Atle Mysterud, Robin Sandfort, Francesca Cagnacci
Summary: The study confirms the Complementary Habitat Hypothesis by showing that European roe deer cope with human-altered landscapes by alternating between open food-rich and closed refuge habitats during day and night. This behavior is observed across different regions and seasons, and is influenced by vegetation phenology.
Article
Biology
Asena Goren, Hildegunn Viljugrein, Inger Maren Rivrud, Solveig Jore, Haakon Bakka, Yngvild Vindenes, Atle Mysterud
Summary: Climate change has caused significant changes in seasonal weather patterns and phenology in various species. However, there is limited empirical research on the impact of these changes on the emergence and seasonal dynamics of vector-borne diseases. Lyme borreliosis, the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere, has been increasing in incidence and geographical distribution. An analysis of long-term surveillance data from Norway shows a marked change in the timing of Lyme borreliosis cases, with the peak now occurring six weeks earlier than 25 years ago. This study highlights the potential for climate change to shape the seasonal dynamics of vector-borne diseases.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Atle Mysterud, Hildegunn Viljugrein, Roy Andersen, Geir Rune Rauset, Malin Rokseth Reiten, Christer M. Rolandsen, Olav Strand
Summary: Climate changes can cause sudden changes in the epidemiological characteristics of infectious wildlife diseases, leading to outbreaks. The impact of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) on large vertebrate populations is poorly documented, in part due to limited surveillance of remote wildlife populations. In this study, the likely impact of digital necrobacillosis on wild alpine reindeer in a national park in Norway was quantified. The outbreak of digital necrobacillosis in 2019 resulted in a decrease in summer survival rate of juveniles, but its overall impact on population dynamics was moderate.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Asena Goren, Atle Mysterud, Solveig Jore, Hildegunn Viljugrein, Haakon Bakka, Yngvild Vindenes
Summary: Lyme borreliosis, the most common vector-borne disease in Europe and North America, has been expanding its geographic range recently. Climate and land-use changes are believed to contribute to the increasing incidence and spread of the disease. This study analyzed 25 years of surveillance data from Norway to investigate the demographic patterns in clinical manifestations and seasonal case timing of Lyme borreliosis. The findings highlight the importance of considering patient demographics when studying the emergence and seasonal patterns of vector-borne diseases.
ZOONOSES AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Yngvild Vindenes, Rolf Langvatn, Atle Mysterud
Summary: Large mammals at northern latitudes experience seasonal cycles of body mass gain and loss, which vary across ontogeny depending on trade-offs between growth and other life history traits. However, there is currently no detailed model of how this seasonal growth develops. In this study, a new seasonal growth model was developed and applied to body mass data from captive red deer in Norway. The best fitting model included two seasonal components and revealed that the timing of the annual peak shifts through ontogeny, with males growing bigger and showing larger seasonal amplitudes compared to females. This new growth model provides a flexible framework for studying seasonal growth in different species.
Article
Ecology
Atle Mysterud, Hildegunn Viljugrein, Petter Hopp, Roy Andersen, Haakon Bakka, Sylvie L. Benestad, Knut Madslien, Torfinn Moldal, Geir Rune Rauset, Olav Strand, Linh Tran, Turid Vikoren, Jorn Vage, Christer M. Rolandsen
Summary: Surveillance of wildlife diseases is challenging but important, and using citizen science and hunters can help in expanding coverage. This study reports the successful use of recreational hunters in monitoring chronic wasting disease in wild reindeer in Norway.
ECOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS AND EVIDENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Atle Mysterud, Lars Rod-Eriksen, Aniko Hildebrand, Roger Meas, Aron Freyr Gudmundsson, Christer M. Rolandsen
Summary: Emerging wildlife diseases have negative impacts on culture and economy. Limiting disease spread is important, and perimeter fences are a mitigation measure, although they require further improvement and maintenance.
ECOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS AND EVIDENCE
(2022)