Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shuang Yin, Chuankuan Wang, Zhenghu Zhou
Summary: Mountainous regions are vulnerable to climate warming, with the elevational gradient playing an important role in soil C and N storage patterns. Mean annual temperature was found to be the most significant driver of these variations. Low latitudes showed an increase in soil C and N storage with increasing elevation, while high latitudes exhibited a decrease or no change in C and N storage. The stable C:N ratio suggests high stoichiometric homeostasis. Decreasing elevation, or increasing temperature, may result in decreased C storage in low latitudes, but increased C storage in high latitudes.
Article
Entomology
Sulav Paudel, Pragya Kandel, Dependra Bhatta, Vinod Pandit, Gary W. Felton, Edwin G. Rajotte
Summary: Understanding the effects of climate change on insect pest populations and crop losses is crucial. A field study in Nepal along an elevational gradient revealed that higher elevations were associated with increased herbivore populations and plant damage, influenced by temperature variations. In the context of climate warming, elevation and climatic factors will play an important role in determining changes in insect pest populations and crop losses.
Article
Ecology
Jamie M. Waterman, Casey R. Hall, Meena Mikhael, Christopher Cazzonelli, Susan E. Hartley, Scott N. Johnson
Summary: The study found that silicon accumulation in plants can alleviate both biotic and abiotic stresses, particularly insect herbivory. It is suggested that silicon accumulation may be induced through activation of the jasmonic acid pathway. Additionally, the research demonstrated that increased silicon accumulation affects plant phytohormones and carbon-based defences, with this relationship also being influenced by herbivory.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Rui Cao, Wanqin Yang, Chenhui Chang, Zhuang Wang, Qin Wang, Han Li, Bo Tan
Summary: The study found that subalpine and alpine forests had higher soil enzyme activity, while dry valley shrubland and valley-mountain ecotone forest had lower activity. As altitude increased, the seasonal sensitivity of soil enzyme activity decreased.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Rodolfo Gentili, Roberto Ambrosini, Benno A. Augustinus, Sarah Caronni, Elisa Cardarelli, Chiara Montagnani, Heinz Muller-Scharer, Urs Schaffner, Sandra Citterio
Summary: By studying the growth trajectories and trait variations of an invasive plant species under different altitudes and temperature conditions, it was found that the invasive plant exhibits high phenotypic plasticity in response to various environmental factors.
Article
Ecology
Henry K. Njovu, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter, Friederike Gebert, David Schellenberger Costa, Michael Kleyer, Thomas Wagner, Marcell K. Peters
Summary: By analyzing the relationship between phytophagous beetle species richness and factors such as temperature, climate-driven changes in primary productivity, and leaf trait diversity along the elevational gradient of Mount Kilimanjaro, it was found that these factors were the best predictors of changes in beetle species richness. This study demonstrates that apart from temperature, the quantity and diversity of food resources play a major role in shaping diversity gradients of phytophagous insects.
Article
Agronomy
Xoaquin Moreira, Ignacio M. Perez-Ramos, Luis Matias, Marta Francisco, Alberto Garcia-Gonzalez, Raquel Martins-Noguerol, Carla Vazquez-Gonzalez, Luis Abdala-Roberts, Jesus Cambrolle
Summary: The study found that variation in a few key soil macro- and micro-elements in coastal environments can influence seed chemical defenses in sea fennel, potentially affecting interactions between sea fennel and seed predators.
Article
Ecology
Joshua S. Lynn, Tom E. X. Miller, Jennifer A. Rudgers
Summary: This study found that mammalian herbivores are key drivers of the low-elevation range limits of alpine plants. Exclosures can increase plant population growth rates, with a more significant effect in novel habitats, implying that novel interactions may have negative impacts on plant populations.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xinrui Liu, Haoxuan Chen, Tianyu Sun, Danyang Li, Xue Wang, Weiyi Mo, Ruili Wang, Shuoxin Zhang
Summary: Leaf anatomical traits show different patterns of variation along altitudinal gradients at species and community levels. At the species level, traits increase with altitude influenced by phylogenetic and environmental factors, while at the community level, traits first increase and then decrease with elevation mainly influenced by climatic factors. Different environmental factors and phylogenetic differences should be considered when exploring the variation in leaf anatomical traits.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jingyi Ding, David Eldridge
Summary: Woody plants are spreading globally, causing negative impacts on livestock production and terrestrial ecosystems. A global assessment was conducted to determine if removing these plants can restore productive grasslands and open savannas. However, the results show that removal is not effective in reversing the encroachment impacts, with only partial recovery of herbaceous structure and an overall enhancement of ecosystem functions. The success of removal varies with the encroachment stage and functional traits of the woody species, and is influenced by regional aridity.
Review
Plant Sciences
Gabrielle Lebbink, Anita C. Risch, Martin Schuetz, Jennifer Firn
Summary: Despite the impact of vertebrate and invertebrate herbivores on plants, their studies are often conducted separately due to fundamental differences in their ecology and evolution. This synthesis of literature aimed to understand the plant traits examined and their response to, and effect on, the two groups of herbivores, and to identify knowledge gaps. The findings suggest underrepresentation of invertebrate-focused research, research in the Southern Hemisphere, and research on nondomesticated herbivores. Differences in study focus and traits examined restrict the comparison between vertebrate and invertebrate herbivore guilds.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Shiyu Fan, Hui Sun, Jiyuan Yang, Jihong Qin, Danjie Shen, Yuexi Chen
Summary: The study found that soil nutrient content and enzyme activity in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau fluctuate with altitude and are significantly influenced by altitude and soil depth. Nutrient availability, enzyme activity, and microbial diversity were higher in the topsoil compared to the subsoil.
Article
Plant Sciences
Neha Mohanbabu, Michiel P. Veldhuis, Dana Jung, Mark E. Ritchie
Summary: Allocating plant defense traits depends on resource supply, herbivory, and other plant functional traits. However, integrating defense with resource acquisitive traits remains challenging.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Katariina E. M. Vuorinen, Gunnar Austrheim, Atle Mysterud, Ragnhild Gya, Vigdis Vandvik, John-Arvid Grytnes, James D. M. Speed
Summary: Herbivores shape vegetation by affecting plant species composition, leading to impacts on carbon cycling, albedo, vegetation structure, and species' interactions. Managing large herbivores in alpine environments could mitigate climate change effects, although past grazing legacy effects may dampen their impact. Long-term sheep grazing history may influence plant trait composition, while short-term changes in sheep densities may not have immediate effects on plant communities in the context of ecosystem management.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu-Wen Zhang, Ze-Chen Peng, Sheng-Hua Chang, Zhao-Feng Wang, Duo-Cai Li, Yu-Feng An, Fu-Jiang Hou, Ji-Zhou Ren
Summary: Grazing and climate change contribute to diversity loss and productivity fluctuations in high-altitude mountain grassland ecosystems. However, the understanding of the long-term continuous grazing management on diversity, productivity, and regulation mechanisms in fragile grassland ecosystems is limited. This study found that heavy grazing decreased community diversity and biomass, while soil chemical properties explained the largest variances in community diversity and biomass. The pathways through which grazing affects the relationship between diversity and biomass differed depending on grazing gradients.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Spectroscopy
Emmanuel Defossez, Julien Bourquin, Stephan Reuss, Sergio Rasmann, Gaetan Glauser
Summary: Metabolomics has become a pivotal approach for analyzing metabolites in biological systems, allowing for a deeper understanding of the relationship between biochemical processes and physiological conditions. Targeted and untargeted mass spectrometry methods are commonly used, with data-dependent acquisition (DDA) offering the potential for improved metabolite assignment in untargeted metabolomics. However, DDA settings are more complex and prone to errors compared to data-independent acquisition (DIA).
MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Tian Xu, Nuo Zhang, Meng Xu, Gaetan Glauser, Ted C. J. Turlings, Li Chen
Summary: Ants coordinate foraging behavior through species-specific trail pheromones. Previous studies on the trail pheromone composition of Solenopsis invicta, a notorious invasive ant species, have provided contrasting results. This study reanalyzed the chemicals in the ant's gland extract and confirmed the major components of the trail pheromone.
Article
Plant Sciences
Luca Morelli, Salvador Torres-Montilla, Gaetan Glauser, Venkatasalam Shanmugabalaji, Felix Kessler, Manuel Rodriguez-Concepcion
Summary: The accumulation of phytonutrients in plant tissues can be enhanced by stimulating biosynthesis and providing suitable structures. Artificial chromoplasts induced by the bacterial protein crtB can accumulate high levels of carotenoids and other health-related isoprenoids. Increasing plastoglobule proliferation and reactive oxygen species production can further promote the accumulation of these metabolites and the conversion from chloroplasts to chromoplasts.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhenggao Xiao, Ningke Fan, Wenqing Zhu, Hai-Long Qian, Xiu-Ping Yan, Zhenyu Wang, Sergio Rasmann
Summary: The application of nanosilicon has been found to enhance plant defenses against various stresses. Silicon quantum nanodots, with their unique biological and physiochemical properties, show promise in regulating plant responses to stress. By studying maize, it was observed that the addition of Si NDs and sodium silicate effectively inhibited the growth of caterpillars and activated defense genes. Field experiments also demonstrated the potential of Si NDs in increasing maize yield. These findings suggest that Si NDs can be an effective and ecofriendly crop protection strategy in agroecosystems.
Article
Ecology
Pasquale Cascone, Jozsef Vuts, Michael A. Birkett, Sarah Dewhirst, Sergio Rasmann, John A. Pickett, Emilio Guerrieri
Summary: This study found that plants can communicate belowground by releasing the non-protein amino acid L-DOPA, which triggers the production of volatile organic compounds in neighboring plants. The study also discovered that healthy plants exposed to L-DOPA become highly attractive to aphid parasitoids, resembling infested plants. Therefore, L-DOPA acts as both a brain neurotransmitter precursor and an immune enhancer in plants.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lucia Martin-Cacheda, Carla Vazquez-Gonzalez, Sergio Rasmann, Gregory Roder, Luis Abdala-Roberts, Xoaquin Moreira
Summary: This study tested whether airborne signalling in response to herbivory between potato plants is contingent on plant genetic relatedness, and investigated genotypic variation in VOCs potentially underlying signalling and its contingency on relatedness. The results showed that herbivory drove changes in VOC composition but not total emissions, and there was quantitative and qualitative variation in constitutive and induced VOC emissions among varieties. The signalling effect was not contingent on plant genetic relatedness despite genotypic variation in induced VOCs.
Article
Agronomy
Jingjing Li, Yang Li, Xianqin Wei, Yonghe Cui, Xinghui Gu, Xingyue Li, Toyoshi Yoshiga, Mahfouz M. M. Abd-Elgawad, David Shapiro-Ilan, Weibin Ruan, Sergio Rasmann
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) on the negative interactions between EPNs and root-knot nematodes (RKNs) in the rhizosphere. The results showed that the placement of EPNs between RKNs and roots inhibited the movement of RKNs towards the roots. Additionally, different components of the EPNs/bacterial complex, such as bacteria and the cell-free supernatant produced by the bacterial culture, also displayed inhibitory effects on RKNs. Therefore, the EPNs/bacterial complex could be used for RKN control and reduce the application costs in integrated pest management practices.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luca Morelli, Garcia Romanach Laura, Gaetan Glauser, Venkatasalam Shanmugabalaji, Felix Kessler, Manuel Rodriguez-Concepcion
Summary: Artificial leaf chromoplasts can increase the accumulation and storage of vitamin E in plants. In addition, this method also leads to higher levels of other related compounds such as carotenoids and phylloquinones.
Article
Agronomy
Olivia Rusconi, Theo Steiner, Claire Le Bayon, Sergio Rasmann
Summary: To restore populations of threatened species, conservation actions need to be undertaken in suitable habitats. A study on the endangered Cypripedium calceolus orchid found that the composition of surrounding plant communities and soil characteristics significantly influenced its population performance, providing valuable information for reintroduction efforts.
Article
Plant Sciences
Charlyne Jaccard, Wenfeng Ye, Carlos Bustos-Segura, Gaetan Glauser, Ian Kaplan, Betty Benrey
Summary: Plant domestication reduces the levels of defensive compounds, making cultivars more susceptible to insects. In the case of squash, domesticated varieties contain very low amounts of cucurbitacins, a class of chemical compounds that stimulate feeding in chrysomelid beetles. Wild squash breeds, on the other hand, have higher expressions of cucurbitacin synthesis-associated genes, making them more attractive to herbivores.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rocio Rivera Sanchez, Siva Bandi, Marie-Desiree Scheidt, Hanna Laaroussi, Bennett William Fox, Yojiro Ishida, Gaetan Glauser, Sylvain Sutour, Stephan H. von Reuss
Summary: This study investigates the biosynthesis of Ceramide and its connection to iso-fatty acid metabolism in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. The results reveal the dependence of ceramide biosynthesis on specific enzymes and amino acids, shedding light on the regulation of lipid metabolism.
HELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hugo Morin, Aurore Chetelat, Stephanie Stolz, Laurence Marcourt, Gaetan Glauser, Jean-Luc Wolfender, Edward E. Farmer
Summary: The connections between wound-response electrical signaling and jasmonate synthesis activation are not known. This study investigated the remodeling of jasmonate precursor pools in the leaf vasculature of Arabidopsis thaliana in response to injury. Metabolomics and NMR were used to analyze galactolipids and jasmonate precursors in undamaged and wounded plants, while DAD1-LIKE LIPASEs (DALLs) that regulate these precursor levels were identified. The study found a novel galactolipid, sn-2-OPDA-MGMG, containing the jasmonate precursor 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), in the veins. It was discovered that electrical signals triggered a rapid reduction of vascular OPDA-MGMGs, sn-2-OPDA-MGMG, and free OPDA pools. In mutant plants with reduced DALL2 function, there was a failure to build resting vascular sn-2-OPDA-MGMG and OPDA pools, resulting in less production of jasmonoyl-isoleucine (JA-Ile) upon wounding. DALL3 acted to suppress excessive JA-Ile production, while dall2 dall3 double mutants greatly reduced jasmonate signaling in leaves distal to wounds.
Article
Biology
Valentin Gfeller, Jan Waelchli, Stephanie Pfister, Gabriel Deslandes-Herold, Fabio Mascher, Gaetan Glauser, Yvo Aeby, Adrien Mestrot, Christelle A. M. Robert, Klaus Schlaeppi, Matthias Erb
Summary: Plant secondary metabolites released into the rhizosphere impact soil properties, affecting the performance and productivity of other plants. In this study, winter wheat varieties showed improved growth and yield when grown in soils conditioned by maize plants producing benzoxazinoids. This finding suggests that optimizing root exudation chemistry can enhance crop yields without additional inputs.
Article
Plant Sciences
Clement E. Gille, Patrick M. Finnegan, Patrick E. Hayes, Kosala Ranathunge, Treena I. Burgess, Felix de Tombeur, Duccio Migliorini, Paul Dallongeville, Gaetan Glauser, Hans Lambers
Summary: Nonmycorrhizal plants enhance the defense of mycorrhizal plants against soil-borne pathogens through their symbiosis, and ectomycorrhizal fungi play a vital role in the interactions between mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal plants in severely P-impoverished environments.