Article
Ecology
Pilar L. M. Braga, Sergio H. Borges, Carlos A. Peres, Bette A. Loiselle, John G. Blake, Juliana Menger, Anderson S. Bueno, Marina Anciaes, Fernando H. Teofilo, Marina F. A. Maximiano, Affonso H. N. Souza, Roberta L. Boss, Fabricio B. Baccaro
Summary: This study investigated the diversity patterns of understorey bird assemblages in unflooded forests in the Amazon. The results showed that different areas of endemism exhibited distinct patterns of species richness, composition, and captures, but the proportion of species and individuals within guilds remained similar, indicating that species replacements occur while maintaining ecological functions. Interspecific competition and resource availability were found to be more important than environmental heterogeneity in structuring understorey bird assemblages.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Karissa O. Lear, Nicholas M. Whitney, John J. Morris, Adrian C. Gleiss
Summary: Niche partitioning is crucial for the coexistence of competitor species, and temporal partitioning was found to play an important role in the studied marine predator guild. The distinct diel patterns of activity suggest strong temporal partitioning of foraging times in this marine ecosystem.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biology
Marco Basile, Thomas Asbeck, Joao M. Cordeiro Pereira, Grzegorz Mikusinski, Ilse Storch
Summary: This study examined the impact of species co-occurrences on forest bird assemblages, finding that species associations can mitigate the effects of management intensity on forest birds. It was also observed that bird species express wider habitat preferences in forests with higher management intensity, depending on the landscape context.
Article
Ecology
Justin W. Baldwin, Joan Garcia-Porta, Carlos A. Botero
Summary: Anthropogenic climate change is threatening biodiversity worldwide, but avian responses are influenced by behavioral flexibility and relative brain size, with species having larger brains showing weaker responses to climate warming.
Article
Ecology
Montague H. C. Neate-Clegg, Samuel E. Jones, Joseph A. Tobias, William D. Newmark, Cagan H. Sekercioglu
Summary: Birds globally respond to climate change by shifting their elevational distributions, but the rate and direction of these shifts vary greatly across species. Empirical evidence suggests that elevational shift rates are associated with species traits, particularly body size, dispersal ability, and territoriality. The responses of tropical montane bird communities to climate change are complex and best predicted within the local or regional context.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Steven Ni, Daniela de Angeli Dutra
Summary: Harrison's rule states that the size of parasites is positively correlated with the size of their hosts, and this rule has been confirmed in sequentially hermaphroditic isopods parasitic on fish. Additionally, the size difference between parasites and hosts is also positively correlated, but there are differences between sexes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mylswamy Mahendiran, Mylswamy Parthiban, Parappurath Abdul Azeez
Summary: Researchers recognize the importance of cost-effective, non-invasive techniques for in-situ morphological measurements. We successfully measured the body sizes of wild Painted Storks in two different regions using a non-invasive digital method. Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of this method in classifying and predicting species characteristics and identifying eco-geographic patterns.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shuntaro Watanabe, Yuri Maesako
Summary: Reproductive interference can hinder the coexistence of closely related plant species, but the study found that congeneric tree species often coexisted at small spatial scales without significant exclusive distribution, suggesting further research is needed to explore factors that mitigate the effects of reproductive interference.
Article
Biology
Athmanathan Senthilnathan
Summary: Body size is a crucial trait that impacts various aspects of an organism's life. There is a benefit to being small in terms of competition for space, while being large poses disadvantages in this aspect.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Zhen Liu, Jing Li, Ruixing Hou, Yitao Zhang, Huarui Gong, Yanfei Sun, Zhu Ouyang, Zhigang Sun
Summary: Soil salinisation is a significant ecosystem issue that negatively affects sustainable agriculture. Vegetation restoration practices are widely used to cope with saline soil degradation, especially in abandoned farmland. However, the associations and functions of microbes in the rhizosphere and bulk soils of salt-tolerant plants are still unclear, which limits the effectiveness of vegetation restoration. This study analyzed the fungal community composition, functional guilds, and co-occurrence networks in both rhizosphere and bulk soils of typical plant species in the abandoned farmland of the Yellow River Delta, China. The results showed that the rhizosphere fungal network had more nodes and links, more negative links, and higher modularity compared to the bulk soil network. The salt-tolerant plants' rhizosphere had a more stable fungal co-occurrence network and recruited more keystone species, benefiting soil nutrient cycling and restoration in abandoned farmlands.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marketa Zimova, Brian C. Weeks, David E. Willard, Sean T. Giery, Vitek Jirinec, Ryan C. Burner, Benjamin M. Winger
Summary: Variation in evolutionary rates among species is a defining characteristic of the tree of life and may be an important predictor of species' capacities to adapt to rapid environmental change. It is broadly assumed that generation length is an important determinant of microevolutionary rates, and body size is often used as a proxy for generation length. However, body size has myriad biological correlates that could affect evolutionary rates independently from generation length.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elaine Divina Rodrigues Silveira, Marcelino Benvindo-Souza, Rhayane Alves Assis, Cirley Gomes Araujo dos Santos, Nathan Pereira de Lima Amorim, Rinneu Elias Borges, Celine de Melo, Lia Raquel de Souza Santos
Summary: This study investigated the genotoxic damage frequency in birds in agricultural areas compared to conserved areas using the micronucleus test and nuclear erythrocyte abnormalities. It was found that the omnivorous bird Gnorimopsar chopi exhibited the highest micronucleus frequency in the conserved area. However, in the agricultural area, G. chopi showed a significantly higher genotoxic damage frequency, suggesting its potential as a strong indicator of environmental health.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Jose Max B. Oliveira-Junior, Maria Alexandra Teodosio, Leandro Juen
Summary: Interspecific interactions, such as competition, play a crucial role in determining the distribution, abundance, and diversity of organisms in natural communities of aquatic ecosystems. Studies on adult odonates in preserved and altered Amazonian streams revealed non-random co-occurrence patterns and morphological divergence in Zygoptera species, while Anisoptera species showed a random co-occurrence pattern. The distribution patterns of odonate species are influenced by specific environmental processes, with Zygoptera species having more specific microhabitat requirements compared to Anisoptera species.
AUSTRAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Justin W. Baldwin, Joan Garcia-Porta, Carlos A. Botero
Summary: Biologists have observed that endotherms tend to have larger bodies and shorter appendages in colder environments, but some taxa do not conform to these patterns. This study suggests that lineages can respond to thermal gradients through complementary changes in body and extremity size, resulting in smaller changes in either trait than predicted by Bergmann's or Allen's rule alone. By analyzing data on 6,974 non-migratory terrestrial bird species, the authors demonstrate that most bird families exhibit subtle and complementary changes in bill and body size, supporting the idea of complementarity in Bergmann's and Allen's rules. The study also finds that families with significant gradients in bill or body size tend to be more speciose, widely distributed, or ecologically constrained.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vitek Jirinec, Ryan C. Burner, Bruna R. Amaral, Richard O. Bierregaard Jr, Gilberto Fernandez-Arellano, Angelica Hernandez-Palma, Erik Johnson, Thomas E. Lovejoy, Luke L. Powell, Cameron L. Rutt, Jared D. Wolfe, Philip C. Stouffer
Summary: Research conducted in the Amazonian rainforest over four decades shows that the body size of nonmigratory understory birds has decreased since the early 1980s, with some species showing an increase in wing length. Seasonal precipitation patterns were found to be better predictors of morphological variations than temperature. Both short-term and long-term morphological shifts suggest a response to climate change, reflecting its pervasive consequences.
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Josephine E. M. Martell, Amanda D. Rodewald
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Ecology
A. Johnston, T. Auer, D. Fink, M. Strimas-Mackey, M. Ilife, K. Rosenberg, S. Brown, R. Lanctot, A. D. Rodewald, S. Kelling
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2020)
Article
Forestry
Clark S. Rushing, Ronald W. Rohrbaugh, Cameron J. Fiss, Christopher S. Rosenberry, Amanda D. Rodewald, Jeffery L. Larkin
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Darin J. McNeil, Amanda D. Rodewald, Viviana Ruiz-Gutierrez, Kirsten E. Johnson, Matt Strimas-Mackey, Sharon Petzinger, Orin J. Robinson, Gerardo E. Soto, Andre A. Dhondt, Jeffery L. Larkin
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Darin J. McNeil, Amanda D. Rodewald, Orin J. Robinson, Cameron J. Fiss, Kenneth Rosenberg, Viviana Ruiz-Gutierrez, Kyle R. Aldinger, Andre A. Dhondt, Sharon Petzinger, Jeffery L. Larkin
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alberto J. Alaniz, Mario A. Carvajal, Pablo M. Vergara, Andres Fierro, Dario Moreira-Arce, Alejandro Rojas-Osorio, Gerardo E. Soto, Amanda D. Rodewald
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Maeve Anderson, Amanda D. Rodewald, Ashley A. Dayer
Summary: Land trusts play a crucial role in private land conservation in the United States, with varying conservation strategies and habitats protected across regions. The study suggests that land trusts have untapped potential to contribute to bird conservation, but face barriers in terms of human and fiscal resources.
NATURAL AREAS JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jesse R. Fleri, Tara G. Martin, Amanda D. Rodewald, Peter Arcese
Summary: The study found that the invasion of non-native earthworms can have complex effects on plant communities, affecting seedling survival rates and population composition, and leading to divergent community structures.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Scott Wilson, Hsien-Yung Lin, Richard Schuster, Ana M. Gonzalez, Camila Gomez, Esteban Botero-Delgadillo, Nicholas J. Bayly, Joseph R. Bennett, Amanda D. Rodewald, Patrick R. Roehrdanz, Viviana Ruiz Gutierrez
Summary: Funding and effort for migratory bird conservation also have the potential to benefit threatened resident vertebrates in the Neotropics. This study highlights how novel, high-resolution information on species distributions and risk of forest loss can be integrated to identify priority areas for the two groups at regional and landscape scales. The approach and data can be further modified for more specific goals, such as within-country initiatives.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Frank A. La Sorte, Alison Johnston, Amanda D. Rodewald, Daniel Fink, Andrew Farnsworth, Benjamin M. Van Doren, Tom Auer, Matthew Strimas-Mackey
Summary: This study found that artificial light at night (ALAN) and roads pose the greatest risk to nocturnally migrating birds during migration, and to Anseriformes and Charadriiformes during the breeding season. The prevalence and importance of positive associations with ALAN and roads varied across different bird species and their migration strategies and habitat preferences. The results highlight the need for comprehensive mitigation strategies that consider the interconnected threats of ALAN and roads.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Susannah B. Lerman, Liba Pejchar, Lauryn Benedict, Kristen M. Covino, Janis L. Dickinson, Jean E. Fantle-Lepczyk, Amanda D. Rodewald, Carol Vleck
Summary: The impact of motherhood on female scientists' career paths leads to talent loss and gender gaps. To overcome these challenges, evidence-based strategies are recommended and addressed through a full lifecycle approach.
ORNITHOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Cameron J. Fiss, Darin J. McNeil, Amanda D. Rodewald, Daniel Heggenstaller, Jeffery L. Larkin
Summary: The post-fledging period is understudied but crucial for conservation efforts, with fledglings selecting areas with dense vegetation for habitat. Different stand types have varying microhabitat conditions preferred by fledgling Golden-winged Warblers.
AVIAN CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alicia Williams, Ashley A. Dayer, J. Nicolas Hernandez-Aguilera, Tina B. Phillips, Holly Faulkner-Grant, Miguel Gomez, Amanda D. Rodewald
Summary: Although many coffee farms have shifted to full-sun cultivation, an increasing number of birdwatchers are paying attention to bird-friendly coffee certifications, showing a preference for considering the ecological environment of birds when purchasing coffee.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yanina Poblete, Gerardo E. Soto, Leonardo Campagna, Miguel E. Avila, Carolina Fernandez, Cristian R. Flores, Amanda D. Rodewald
AVIAN CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
C. Steven Sevillano-Rios, Amanda D. Rodewald
Summary: This study examined how patch and landscape attributes affected bird communities within Polylepis forest ecosystems, showing that habitat loss and fragmentation can have devastating effects on biodiversity, especially for endangered species specialized on Polylepis forests.
NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY
(2021)