Article
Plant Sciences
Felipe Torres-Vanegas, Adam S. Hadley, Urs G. Kormann, Frank Andrew Jones, Matthew G. Betts, Helene H. Wagner
Summary: Resolving the consequences of pollinator foraging behaviour for plant mating systems is a fundamental challenge in evolutionary ecology. Studies have shown that pollinators adopt different foraging tactics, such as complete trapline foraging, sample-and-shift trapline foraging, and territorial foraging. These foraging tactics have divergent consequences for plant mating systems.
Article
Ecology
Alison L. Ritchie, Carole P. Elliott, Elizabeth A. Sinclair, Siegfried L. Krauss
Summary: This study compared bird pollinators in natural and restored Banksia woodlands in Western Australia, finding similar species compositions between restored and adjacent natural sites, with proximity supporting pollinator re-establishment. Bird foraging behavior was influenced by territorial interactions, with more aggressive chases observed in restored sites leading to increased movements. Restored sites had re-established pollination services, albeit with clear differences from natural sites, as demonstrated by the variability in bird pollinator composition and behavior in natural sites serving as a competition target against which restored sites were assessed.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Yael S. Rodger, Rebecca Dillon, Keyne Monro, Alexandra Pavlova, David J. Coates, Margaret Byrne, Paul Sunnucks
Summary: Mixing gene pools in translocations can lead to populations with higher genetic diversity and potential for evolution. In a translocated population of the endangered mixed-mating species Banksia brownii, offspring from self-pollination were consistently smaller than offspring from within-source crosses. No evidence was found for the influence of predictors on survival, suggesting that more time may be needed to observe the effects of outcrossing on fitness. Monitoring mating systems, genetic diversity, and fitness data is important for evaluating translocation success and guiding adaptive management.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anna Bucharova, Christian Lampei, Malte Conrady, Emilia May, Janis Matheja, Michael Meyer, David Ott
Summary: The selection of plant provenance for ecological restoration not only affects plant performance but also significantly influences interactions between plants and pollinators. Variation in plant provenances can have a strong impact on the diversity and abundance of flower-pollinator interactions, highlighting the importance of considering plant sources in ecosystem restoration projects to support pollinators.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Bethanne Bruninga-Socolar, Eric V. Lonsdorf, Ian G. Lane, Zachary M. Portman, Daniel P. Cariveau
Summary: Wildflower plantings are important for wild bee conservation, and plant-bee interaction data are commonly used in seed mix design and monitoring programs. However, collecting these data can be expensive and is not widely utilized. This study investigates how the conservation value of seed mixes varies as a function of data collection effort.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Cameron M. Mounsey, Jason C. Stevens, Michael Renton, Kingsley W. Dixon, Ben P. Miller
Summary: Mining activities can have significant impacts on the environment, altering topography, soil properties, hydrology, and biological communities. This study in southwest Australia examined a 19-year-old postmining woodland restoration to assess the development of plant communities in restored sites, finding that vegetation cover increased over time while plant density and species richness decreased. Environmental drivers, such as rainfall patterns, and management techniques, like substrate ripping, played key roles in restoration outcomes, highlighting the importance of long-term monitoring and evaluation in postmining restoration efforts.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Julian Brown, Scott V. C. Groom, Romina Rader, Katja Hogendoorn, Saul A. Cunningham
Summary: The conversion of natural vegetation to agriculture is a major factor in global biodiversity decline, negatively impacting ecosystem services such as pollination. Studies show that wild pollinators visit crops more frequently in areas with higher levels of natural or semi-natural vegetation. However, in some regions and years, wild bees are rare in apple orchards, indicating that managing land cover to enhance wild bee visitation may not have a significant impact on apple pollination in southeast Australia.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Biology
Jane C. Stout, Lynn V. Dicks
Summary: Despite increased interest and efforts in pollinator conservation, the health of pollinators continues to decline. To effectively address this, further scientific understanding is needed in six key areas, and the use of IPBES conceptual framework can help identify critical gaps in both understanding and action. Recognizing and addressing indirect drivers of decline, such as global trade and demography, are crucial for successful pollinator conservation.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Liam K. Kendall, Lisa J. Evans, Megan Gee, Tobias J. Smith, Vesna Gagic, Juan D. Lobaton, Mark A. Hall, Jeremy Jones, Lindsay Kirkland, Manu E. Saunders, Carolyn Sonter, Brian T. Cutting, Sophie Parks, Katja Hogendoorn, Cameron Spurr, Alistair Gracie, Melinda Simpson, Romina Rader
Summary: Protective covers such as glasshouses, netting enclosures, and polytunnels are increasingly used in crop production to enhance crop quality, yield, and production efficiency. Bees are the dominant taxon used in protected systems, with 90% of studies using eusocial bees. However, negative effects on pollinator health have been observed in over 50% of studies, possibly due to changes in environmental conditions and reduced access to food resources. Strategies to enhance pollinator health and efficiency in covered systems include careful bee hive location selection, increased floral diversity, and manipulation of flower physiology. Practitioners need to ensure that crop pollination services are compatible with suitable conditions for pollinator health to safeguard crop yields in pollinator dependent protected cropping systems.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Bo Song, Lu Sun, Spencer C. H. Barrett, Angela T. Moles, Ya-Huang Luo, W. Scott Armbruster, Yong-Qian Gao, Shuang Zhang, Zhi-Qiang Zhang, Hang Sun
Summary: This study provides a global quantification of floral longevity, showing that it is longer at higher latitudes in both hemispheres. The study also identifies temperature and pollen number as important factors affecting floral longevity, while other factors such as compatibility status, flower size, pollination mode, and growth form have no significant effects.
Article
Ecology
Tobias Naaf, Jannis Till Feigs, Siyu Huang, Joerg Brunet, Sara A. O. Cousins, Guillaume Decocq, Pieter De Frenne, Martin Diekmann, Sanne Govaert, Per-Ola Hedwall, Kenny Helsen, Jonathan Lenoir, Jaan Liira, Camille Meeussen, Jan Plue, Pedro Poli, Fabien Spicher, Pieter Vangansbeke, Thomas Vanneste, Kris Verheyen, Stephanie I. J. Holzhauer, Katja Kramp
Summary: The study reveals that habitat loss and fragmentation have negative effects on the long-term viability of slow-colonizing forest herbs, leading to decreased allelic richness and increased genetic differentiation. Each species showed unique responses to these challenges, and considering the mobility of associated pollinators is crucial in assessing the sensitivity of forest herbs to habitat changes.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jamie Alison, Marc Botham, Lindsay C. Maskell, Angus Garbutt, Fiona M. Seaton, James Skates, Simon M. Smart, Amy R. C. Thomas, George Tordoff, Bronwen L. Williams, Claire M. Wood, Bridget A. Emmett
Summary: Pollinating insects provide economic value by improving crop yield and are functionally and culturally important across ecosystems. Studies have found that flower cover, woodland, hedgerows, and cropland are critical drivers of pollinator abundance in Wales.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
R. Peacock, M. Bently, P. Rees, J. N. Blignaut
Summary: Ecological restoration has become a preferred development intervention at the global level, and the United Nations declared the UN decade of restoration in 2021 to recognize its importance. A study on the costs and benefits of restoration in South Africa revealed that, except for a few ecosystems, the benefits of restoration likely exceed the costs by a considerable margin. It is recommended to conduct more research and estimate a wider range of benefits to implement a country-wide restoration program for the benefit of current and future generations.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaoxing Liu, Jingyi Ding, Wenwu Zhao
Summary: This study comprehensively assesses the impact of different ecological projects (including afforestation and grassland restoration) on ecosystem services (carbon storage, water conservation, soil retention). The results suggest that afforestation increases carbon storage and soil retention, while the effects of grassland restoration are mixed and overall changes in water conservation are negligible. Considering prior land use/measures, implementation age, climate, topography, and other resources is critical for optimizing ecosystem services.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Wei-Guo Liu, Jia-Qi Zhang, Yan Yan, Philip Beckschaefer, Christoph Kleinn, Gbadamassi G. O. Dossa, Jian-Jun Huai, De-Li Zhai, Liang Song
Summary: Rubber plantations have replaced natural forests in Southeast Asia in the past 20 years. To restore the forests, a combined market and government payment system was developed and simulated in Southwest China. The system has the potential to convert 198,490 ha of rubber plantations back to forests, with a government payment of US$0.377 billion and a carbon sequestration benefit of 14.83 million tons by 2050. Sensitivity analyses showed that rubber price and discount rate were the most influential factors on the payment system.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Alison L. Ritchie, Carole P. Elliott, Elizabeth A. Sinclair, Siegfried L. Krauss
Summary: This study compared bird pollinators in natural and restored Banksia woodlands in Western Australia, finding similar species compositions between restored and adjacent natural sites, with proximity supporting pollinator re-establishment. Bird foraging behavior was influenced by territorial interactions, with more aggressive chases observed in restored sites leading to increased movements. Restored sites had re-established pollination services, albeit with clear differences from natural sites, as demonstrated by the variability in bird pollinator composition and behavior in natural sites serving as a competition target against which restored sites were assessed.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lukas Pfeifer, Gijs van Erven, Elizabeth A. Sinclair, Carlos M. Duarte, Mirjam A. Kabel, Birgit Classen
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the cell wall composition of seagrasses, helping understand their adaptation to the marine environment in an evolutionary context and evaluating their potential in biorefinery incentives.
Article
Ecology
Lauren N. Svejcar, Vanessa S. Brown, Alison L. Ritchie, Kirk W. Davies, Tony J. Svejcar
Summary: Restoration efforts in dryland systems are hindered by environmental variables and low establishment of native species. Agricultural technologies such as seed enhancements offer potential solutions to overcome these limitations. Tailoring current agricultural technologies to restoration contexts is crucial for the development of seed enhancement technologies.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Jane M. Edgeloe, Anita A. Severn-Ellis, Philipp E. Bayer, Shaghayegh Mehravi, Martin F. Breed, Siegfried L. Krauss, Jacqueline Batley, Gary A. Kendrick, Elizabeth A. Sinclair
Summary: Polyploidy allows for expansion and adaptation of Poseidon's ribbon weed. A widespread, highly heterozygous polyploid clone was discovered in Shark Bay, Western Australia, making it the largest known clone.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Mitchell W. Booth, Martin F. Breed, Gary A. Kendrick, Philipp E. Bayer, Anita A. Severn-Ellis, Elizabeth A. Sinclair
Summary: This study investigated the gene expression differences in leaf, meristem, and root organs of seagrass Posidonia australis at different salinity gradients using transcriptome analysis. The results showed significant differences among different tissue types, with the largest variation observed in leaves. These differences were largely attributed to the expression of genes related to photosynthesis, plant growth, and nutrient absorption.
Article
Ecology
Vanessa S. Brown, Alison L. Ritchie, Jason C. Stevens, Taylah D. Hanks, Richard J. Hobbs, Todd E. Erickson
Summary: This study aimed to optimize the position of seeds within pellets to improve emergence and survival rates of Jacksonia furcellata. The results showed that seeds positioned at the bottom of pellets without activated carbon (AC) had the highest emergence rate, while seeds in the middle of pellets with AC had lower emergence rate. Further research and testing are needed to refine pellet production for optimal emergence.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Thomas P. Munro, Alison L. Ritchie, Todd E. Erickson, Dale G. Nimmo, Jodi N. Price
Summary: Invasive plant species hinder the reestablishment of native species after land degradation. The use of postemergent herbicides in restoration is preferred, but recent studies show that these herbicides can negatively affect native seeds. Activated carbon seed enhancement technologies (SETs) have been effective against preemergent herbicides, but their effectiveness against postemergent herbicides remains untested.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lauren N. Svejcar, Kirk W. Davies, Alison L. Ritchie
Summary: Billions of dollars are spent annually on ecological restoration efforts, but many regions still fall short of successful restoration targets. Global ecosystem restoration is increasingly challenged by climate change, including more frequent extreme climatic events. To attain global restoration targets, there is a need for critical evaluation of current practices and changes to those practices. One proposed approach is risk-mitigation, conducting plantings across multiple years and evaluating through adaptive management.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Giulia Ferretto, Tim M. Glasby, Alistair G. B. Poore, Corey T. Callaghan, Elizabeth A. Sinclair, John Statton, Gary A. Kendrick, Adriana Verges
Summary: Restoration is crucial for damaged ecosystems, and careful selection of donor material can enhance its success and cost-effectiveness. In this study, we identified that P. australis fragments with more shoots and less necrosis had higher survival rates after replanting. Additionally, fragments stored longer in tanks before replanting showed significantly higher survival rates.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Elizabeth A. Sinclair, Renae K. Hovey, Siegfried L. Krauss, Janet M. Anthony, Michelle Waycott, Gary A. Kendrick
Summary: Historical and contemporary processes drive spatial patterns of gene flow and genetic diversity in a temperate seagrass species in southern Australia. Through genetic analysis, the study found that the current and historical distributions of the seagrass were similar, except in the Bass Strait. The genetic structure was consistent with recognized biogeographic provinces and showed the influence of oceanic upwellings.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
E. Maria U. Jung, N. Adibah B. Abdul Majeed, Mitchell W. Booth, Rachel Austin, Elizabeth A. Sinclair, Matthew W. Fraser, Belinda C. Martin, Larissa M. F. Oppermann, Maike Bollen, Gary A. Kendrick
Summary: Climate change and extreme climatic events are posing threats to seagrass ecosystems. Metabolomics can provide insights into the early stress responses of seagrasses and aid in the development of targeted management and conservation measures.
Article
Ecology
Gary A. Kendrick, Marion L. Cambridge, Robert J. Orth, Matthew W. Fraser, Renae K. Hovey, John Statton, Charitha B. Pattiaratchi, Elizabeth A. Sinclair
Summary: Understanding sexual reproduction and recruitment is crucial for the conservation and restoration of seagrasses. This study collected data on flowering, seed production, and seedling establishment of the seagrass Posidonia australis for six years in meadows around Rottnest Island, Western Australia. The study found variable rates of flowering and seed production among meadows and years, with meadows on the northern shore consistently showing higher intensity of flowering and seed production. Factors such as clonal diversity, seed predation, and wind and surface currents during pollen and seed release were found to drive successful recruitment in established meadows.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Vanessa S. Brown, Todd E. Erickson, Richard J. Hobbs, Stanley Mastrantonis, Alison L. Ritchie
Summary: Combining carbon-based seed enhancement technologies and restoration management practices can alleviate plant recruitment barriers caused by invasive plant species and poor soil conditions. This study tested seven seed enhancement technologies and five management practices on Grey Stinkwood, a common shrub in Western Australia. The results showed that coins incorporating biochar had the highest seedling emergence at the Post-pine site, while extruded pellets containing activated carbon had the highest emergence at the Post-mine site. Using carbon-based seed treatments and management practices like herbicide application followed by soil ripping can help overcome seedling emergence bottlenecks in direct seeding programs. However, further investigation into seedling survival is needed before implementing seed enhancement technologies on a large scale.
ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Bianca Berto, Todd E. Erickson, Alison L. Ritchie
Summary: Seed enhancement technologies (SETs) were used to improve seed handling and germination of Australian native grasses. Flash flaming and acid digestion were successful in reducing bulky floret structures while maintaining or improving germination. Hydropriming did not improve germination outcomes when applied after other treatments.
Article
Ecology
Elizabeth A. Sinclair, Craig D. H. Sherman, John Statton, Craig Copeland, Andrew Matthews, Michelle Waycott, Kor-Jent van Dijk, Adriana Verges, Lana Kajlich, Ian M. McLeod, Gary A. Kendrick
Summary: The three case studies illustrate different approaches to restoration of the two temperate Australian seagrass species - Pondweed and Ribbon Weed. Seeds and rhizomes were utilized in collaborative programs to enhance restoration outcomes on a larger scale.
ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION
(2021)
