Article
Entomology
Jian Luo, Zhiqiang Wang, Fang Tang, Kai Feng
Summary: This study investigated the immune response of R. chinensis against S. marcescens and identified and analyzed immune-related genes. The results increased our understanding of insect immune responses and have implications for termite control.
Article
Zoology
Corentin Jouault, Michael S. Engel, Frederic Legendre, Diying Huang, Philippe Grandcolas, Andre Nel
Summary: This study reports on the diversity of early-diverging Isoptera during the 'Mid'-Cretaceous period in Myanmar, based on fossil records trapped in amber. The findings provide significant morphological evidence for discussing classification and evolutionary history, as well as insights into the evolution of the Cretaceous ecosystem.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Deeksha, Anoop Kumar Shukla
Summary: This study conducted a systematic review of articles related to ecosystem services and remote sensing, finding that regional-level research on ecosystem services is a current hotspot, aiding in understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Chunsheng Wu, Michael D. Ulyshen, Chunjie Shu, Zhijian Zhang, Yi Zhang, Yuanqiu Liu, G. Geoff Wang
Summary: This study aimed to compare the relative contributions of microbes and termites to wood decomposition in subtropical forests, and found that termites can exceed microbes in importance to wood decomposition. The importance of soil contact in determining decay rates was also highlighted in the study.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Joao G. N. Sequeira, Tania Nobre, Sonia Duarte, Dennis Jones, Bruno Esteves, Lina Nunes
Summary: This study used Cellular Automata to simulate the distribution of subterranean termites in urban areas and evaluate its potential in predicting the risk of Reticulitermes grassei infestation. The results showed that the model was able to accurately predict the distribution of the species, making it a valuable tool for pest management decision-making.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yosra Ellili-Bargaoui, Christian Walter, Blandine Lemercier, Didier Michot
Summary: This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate six soil ecosystem services (SES) using a set of indicators derived from dynamic soil and crop modelling. The results revealed that soil variability plays a crucial role in providing SES, particularly for groundwater recharge, plant biomass provision, plant water provision, and carbon sequestration. These findings highlight the importance of soil properties in influencing the provision of ecosystem services.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Jayshree S. Patel, Thomas Chouvenc, Chia-Chien Wu, Hou-Feng Li, Nan-Yao Su
Summary: In this study, the phenotypic traits of F1 hybrid colonies of two destructive subterranean termite species were investigated. The nest architecture and soldier morphological traits of the hybrid colonies were compared to those of the parental species. It was found that the carton materials in the hybrid colonies were disorganized and the soldier morphometric traits varied across different mating combinations. However, four qualitative morphological differences were identified for soldier identification of hybrid Coptotermes.
JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Barbara L. Thorne, Sue Alspach, Katherine E. Tenn, Marah S. Clark
Summary: Early and strategic IPM actions can eradicate invasive conehead termite populations to prevent negative economic and ecological consequences, with key methods including nest destruction, targeted insecticide applications, and continuous monitoring.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Barbara L. Thorne, Sue Alspach, Katherine E. Tenn, Marah S. Clark
Summary: Early strategic IPM actions can eradicate relatively new invasive conehead termite populations, preventing negative economic and ecological consequences. Various effective IPM methods exist to contain, control, and eradicate invasive nasutes. Recommendations stem from best practices and lessons learned experiences, with eradication of two populations of invasive coneheads as an achievable goal.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yelin Peng, Wanxu Chen, Sipei Pan, Tianci Gu, Jie Zeng
Summary: This study aims to reveal the spatial characteristics and driving forces of global ecosystem services (ESs) balance and provide a framework for future assessments and environmental policy-making. The results show a significant spatial dependence of ESs balance, with deficits in urban and barren areas and surpluses in areas with dense vegetation. Nighttime light intensity and forest proportion are important drivers in influencing ESs balance.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Tasya Vadya Sarira, Yiwen Zeng, Rachel Neugarten, Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer, Lian Pin Koh
Summary: This study provides a quantitative assessment of the multiple benefits from forest carbon projects across Southeast Asia, demonstrating that forest conservation can mitigate climate change and provide various other social benefits.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Himanshu Thakur, Surbhi Agarwal, Jaromir Hradecky, Garima Sharma, Hou-Feng Li, Shang-En Yang, Hana Sehadova, Ravinder S. Chandel, Mirek Hylis, Vartika Mathur, Jan Sobotnik, David Sillam-Dusses
Summary: Stylotermitidae, a type of termite found in South Asia, is peculiar as it only feeds on living tree trunks. Due to the challenge of collecting them, research on their biology is limited, making them part of a critically unknown group.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Arijit Das, Manob Das, Riya Gupta
Summary: Wetland ecosystems are highly productive and provide essential ecosystem services to humans. However, they are being degraded due to a lack of understanding of social benefits and economic values. This study compares two wetlands in Eastern India and identifies differences in ecosystem services and their perceived importance. The findings suggest the need for policy interventions and further research to ensure the sustainability of dependent communities and the ecosystem health of wetlands.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jean-Dominique Meunier, Sophie Cornu, Catherine Keller, Doris Barboni
Summary: Silicon is the second most abundant element on Earth's surface and plays a crucial role in various ecosystem services such as cultural, provisioning, and regulating services. Managing silicon can enhance the provision of food and fibers and improve carbon sequestration.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joey R. Bernhardt, Mary I. O'Connor
Summary: This study examines the impact of biodiversity on the nutritional value of seafood diets and human health. It reveals that species with different ecological traits in seafood have distinct micronutrient profiles, but increasing species richness does not necessarily increase protein content and may lead to higher concentrations of toxic metal contaminants. By drawing on biodiversity-ecosystem functioning theory, the study demonstrates the importance of biodiversity in enhancing nutritional benefits derived from seafood and consolidating sustainability goals for biodiversity and human well-being.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joerg Mueller, Oliver Mitesser, Marc W. Cadotte, Fons van der Plas, Akira S. Mori, Christian Ammer, Anne Chao, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Petr Baldrian, Claus Baessler, Peter Biedermann, Simone Cesarz, Alice Classen, Benjamin M. Delory, Heike Feldhaar, Andreas Fichtner, Torsten Hothorn, Claudia Kuenzer, Marcell K. Peters, Kerstin Pierick, Thomas Schmitt, Bernhard Schuldt, Dominik Seidel, Diana Six, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter, Simon Thorn, Goddert von Oheimb, Martin Wegmann, Wolfgang W. Weisser, Nico Eisenhauer
Summary: Intensification of land use by humans has led to a homogenization of landscapes and decreasing resilience of ecosystems globally due to a loss of biodiversity, including the majority of forests. Biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) research has provided compelling evidence for a positive effect of biodiversity on ecosystem functions and services at the local (alpha-diversity) scale, but we largely lack empirical evidence on how the loss of between-patch beta-diversity affects biodiversity and multifunctionality at the landscape scale (gamma-diversity).
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ya-Huang Luo, Liang-Liang Ma, Sebastian Seibold, Marc W. W. Cadotte, Kevin S. S. Burgess, Shao-Lin Tan, Lin-Jiang Ye, Wei Zheng, Jia-Yun Zou, Zhi-Fa Chen, De-Tuan Liu, Guang-Fu Zhu, Xiao-Chun Shi, Wei Zhao, De-Zhu Li, Jie Liu, Lian-Ming Gao
Summary: This study assessed the effects of different mycorrhizal types on forest carbon storage and the biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) relationships in the Gaoligong Mountains, Southwest China. It was found that different mycorrhizal types have significant impacts on forest carbon storage and species diversity. Furthermore, future global changes could potentially alter the mycorrhizal-mediated BEF relationships in mountain forests.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Benjamin M. L. Leroy, Dominik Rabl, Marcel Puels, Sophia Hochrein, Soyeon Bae, Joerg Mueller, Paul D. N. Hebert, Maria L. Kuzmina, Evgeny V. Zakharov, Hannes Lemme, W. Andreas Hahn, Torben Hilmers, Martin Jacobs, Sebastian Kienlein, Hans Pretzsch, Lea Heidrich, Sebastian Seibold, Nicolas Roth, Sebastian Vogel, Peter Kriegel, Wolfgang W. Weisser
Summary: Tebufenozide treatments and spongy moth outbreaks both affect canopy herbivore communities, but the impact of tebufenozide treatments is stronger and longer-lasting, limited to Lepidoptera, whereas the outbreak affects both Lepidoptera and Symphyta. This highlights the limited accuracy of current defoliation forecast methods used for insecticide spraying decisions.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Janine Rietz, Suzanne T. S. van Beeck Calkoen, Nicolas Ferry, Jens Schlueter, Helena Wehner, Karl-Heinz Schindlatz, Tomas Lackner, Christian von Hoermann, Franz J. Conraths, Jorg Mueller, Marco Heurich
Summary: Because animal carcasses often serve as reservoirs for pathogens, their location and removal are crucial in controlling the spread of diseases. Recent studies have shown that infrared sensors can be used to locate animal carcasses, but little is known about the factors influencing detection success. In this study, we investigated the potential of infrared technology to locate wild boar carcasses, as they play an important role in the spread of African swine fever. Our results showed that the thermal camera accurately measured carcass temperature and that the probability of finding carcasses was influenced by environmental and carcass conditions such as habitat type, air temperature, canopy openness, and decomposition stage.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Michiel Vandewiele, Lisa Geres, Annette Lotz, Lisa Mandl, Tobias Richter, Sebastian Seibold, Rupert Seidl, Cornelius Senf
Summary: Forests can serve as microrefugia for species under climate change due to the unique microclimates they create. However, the heterogeneous thermal patterns at the forest floor, especially in mountain forests, are not well understood. This study used LiDAR to predict summer temperature offsets in a mountain forest landscape in the European Alps, finding that forest canopy openness and elevation were important predictors. These temperature offset maps can improve species distribution models and assess climate risks for biodiversity.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jia-Yun Zou, Marc W. Cadotte, Claus Baessler, Roland Brandl, Petr Baldrian, Werner Borken, Elisa Stengel, Ya-Huang Luo, Joerg Mueller, Sebastian Seibold
Summary: This study found that both species richness and functional diversity of beetles have significant effects on wood decomposition rate, with functional diversity being linked to beetle biomass and the presence of a large-bodied species. Additionally, beetles have indirect effects on wood decomposition via bacterial diversity, fungal community composition, and fungal biomass.
Article
Forestry
Pascal Edelmann, Wolfgang W. Weisser, Didem Ambarli, Claus Baessler, Francois Buscot, Martin Hofrichter, Bjorn Hoppe, Harald Kellner, Cynthia Minnich, Julia Moll, Derek Persoh, Sebastian Seibold, Claudia Seilwinder, Ernst-Detlef Schulze, Stephan Woellauer, Werner Borken
Summary: A long-term experiment in Germany suggests that climate, soil traits, and forest structure have significant impacts on the decay process and mass loss of deadwood. Soil nutrient content and precipitation have negative effects on mass loss, while temperature has a positive effect. Forest structure has a small influence on mass loss. The results indicate that at the regional scale, organismic diversity and microbial activity have a stronger impact on the decay process than exogenous factors.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joerg Mueller, Oliver Mitesser, H. Martin Schaefer, Sebastian Seibold, Annika Busse, Peter Kriegel, Dominik Rabl, Rudy Gelis, Alejandro Arteaga, Juan Freile, Gabriel Augusto Leite, Tomaz Nascimento de Melo, John G. Lebien, Marconi Campos-Cerqueira, Nico Bluethgen, Constance J. Tremlett, Dennis Boettger, Heike Feldhaar, Nina Grella, Ana Falconi-Lopez, David A. Donoso, Jerome Moriniere, Zuzana Burivalova
Summary: This study used bioacoustics and metabarcoding to measure forest recovery post-agriculture in a global biodiversity hotspot in Ecuador. The results showed that the composition of vocalizing vertebrates identified by experts reflected the restoration gradient, and two automated measures correlated well with restoration. Furthermore, both measures also reflected the composition of non-vocalizing nocturnal insects. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of new technologies in monitoring forest recovery.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ryan C. Burner, Joerg G. Stephan, Lukas Drag, Maria Potterf, Tone Birkemoe, Juha Siitonen, Jorg Mueller, Otso Ovaskainen, Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson, Tord Snaell
Summary: Functional trait approaches in ecology often face challenges due to the lack of clear hypotheses about trait-niche relationships. This study investigated how different metrics affect inferences about trait-niche relationships using saproxylic beetles in fragmented Finnish forests. The results showed that community-weighted mean trait values (CWMs) were more likely than hierarchical joint species distribution models (JSDMs) to support trait-niche relationships.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Flora Tinya, Inken Doerfler, Maarten de Groot, Jacob Heilman-Clausen, Bence Kovacs, Anders Marell, Bjorn Norden, Reka Aszalos, Claus Baessler, Gediminas Brazaitis, Sabina Burrascano, Jordi Camprodon, Marketa Chudomelova, Lukas Cizek, Ettore D'Andrea, Martin Gossner, Panu Halme, Radim Hedl, Nathalie Korboulewsky, Jari Kouki, Petr Kozel, Asko Lohmus, Rosana Lopez, Frantisek Malis, Juan A. Martin, Giorgio Matteucci, Walter Mattioli, Roser Mundet, Jorg Mueller, Manuel Nicolas, Anna Olden, Miriam Pique, Zydrunas Preiksa, Joan Rovira Ciuro, Liina Remm, Peter Schall, Pavel Sebek, Sebastian Seibold, Primoz Simoncic, Karol Ujhazy, Mariana Ujhazyova, Ondrej Vild, Lucie Vincenot, Wolfgang Weisser, Peter Odor
Summary: Most European forests are used for timber production, and it is important to include commercial forests in the conservation of forest biodiversity. Understanding the impacts of management on forest-dwelling organisms and testing alternative strategies through experiments can provide valuable insights. By collecting metadata from 28 multi-taxa forest management experiments in 14 European countries, this study demonstrates the potential of compiling these experiments in a single network to upscale results and identify directions for future research.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Sascha Roesner, Dana G. Schabo, Rupert Palme, Tomas Lorenc, Emily Mussard-Forster, Roland Brandl, Jöerg Mueller
Summary: By assessing the impact of habitat quality, abiotic factors, and human disturbance on the physiological stress response of capercaillie, it was found that high-quality habitats reduce stress levels, tourism-free refuge areas are important, and individual differences strongly influence response to environmental factors.
Article
Biology
Wolfgang Weisser, Nico Bluethgen, Michael Staab, Rafael Achury, Joerg Mueller
Summary: In response to reports of significant insect declines, there has been an increase in the gathering and analysis of insect time series data. However, there is still disagreement regarding the reasons behind these declines. To address this issue, it is necessary to conduct experiments in addition to quantitative analysis of existing data, in order to determine the most important drivers of decline. A coordinated effort among researchers is needed to rank these drivers and generate the knowledge necessary for effective conservation action.
Article
Soil Science
He Zhang, Aurore Degre, Caroline De Clerck, Shuangshuang Li, Jinshan Lian, Yuanyuan Peng, Tao Sun, Lindan Luo, Yanan Yue, Guihua Li, Jianfeng Zhang
Summary: The continuous expansion of sandy soil poses a threat to crop security. The use of chitin-rich organic material and attapulgite as soil amendments can improve degraded soil by increasing nutrient content and enzyme activity and altering bacterial community structure. This study provides insights into the link between soil properties, bacterial community structure, and microbial carbon metabolism function.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Xian Zhou, Yi Jiang, Ganghua Leng, Wanting Ling, Jian Wang
Summary: Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) residues have significant impacts on soil pollution remediation. The addition of exogenous functional microbial consortium and glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) can promote the degradation of bound PAH residues. This study fills the cognitive gap of GRSP in regulating the degradation of bound PAH residues in soil.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Soil Science
Xinyu Zhao, Evrim Elcin, Lizhi He, Meththika Vithanage, Xiaokai Zhang, Jie Wang, Shuo Wang, Yun Deng, Nabeel Khan Niazi, Sabry M. Shaheen, Hailong Wang, Zhenyu Wang
Summary: The increase of cultivated varieties of Chinese herbal remedies, the expansion of cultivation area, and long-term monoculture cropping have led to aggravated problems of soil diseases, yield loss, and quality reduction. Biochar, as a carbon-rich material, has the potential to improve soil quality and alleviate continuous crop obstacles for Chinese herbal remedies.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Editorial Material
Soil Science
Melanie M. Pollierer, Anton Potapov, Andrey Zaitsev
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Yajie Wang, Jiefeng Li, Yongfen Wei, Zhiyi Deng, Xiaodi Hao, Fusheng Li
Summary: This study investigates the impacts of heavy metal pollution caused by coal production on soil microbial ecology in the semi-arid region of Heilongjiang. The results reveal negative correlations between heavy metals and bacterial abundance and diversity. Twelve sensitive bacterial taxa and corresponding models were identified. Water content and total phosphorus were also found to play vital roles in regulating the bacterial community in the soil.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Sujit Das, Sunanda Biswas, B. Ramakrishnan, T. K. Das, T. J. Purakayastha, B. H. Gawade, Priya Singh, Partha Sarathi Ghorai, Saloni Tripathy, Kanchan Sinha
Summary: This study assessed the impact of conservation agriculture on the biological soil health index in a rice-wheat system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. The results showed that zero till direct seeded rice and crop residue incorporation could improve soil organic carbon, enzyme activities, and microbial population. Specifically, the inclusion of mungbean residues and sesbania brown manuring significantly increased the abundance of the nifH gene in the soil.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Xingxiu Huang, Genxing Pan, Lianqing Li, Xuhui Zhang, Hailong Wang, Nanthi Bolan, Bhupinder Pal Singh, Chongjian Ma, Fuwei Liang, Yanjie Chen, Huashou Li
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of using a mixture of biomass waste ash and biochar on soil pH, heavy metal remediation, and plant growth. The results showed that the mixed use could ameliorate soil acidification, reduce absorption of cadmium and lead by plants, and promote plant growth. The special fertilizer prepared from the mixture can be used to promote crop growth and reduce environmental pollution.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Astrid C. H. Jaeger, Martin Hartmann, Rafaela Feola Conz, Johan Six, Emily F. Solly
Summary: This study investigates the effects of tree mortality on soil microbial communities using a mesocosm experiment. The results show that tree death influenced soil microbial abundance and composition, with the potential to affect soil processes in forest ecosystems.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Dane C. Elmquist, Subodh Adhikari, Ina Popova, Sanford D. Eigenbrode
Summary: This study investigated the effects of soil arthropod communities from cereal-based agroecosystems on wheat plant growth and above-belowground interactions. The results showed that wheat grown in soils with arthropod communities had better growth and defense against aphids, compared to wheat grown in soils without arthropod communities.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Lei Wang, Jing Wang, Zhonghou Tang, Jidong Wang, Yongchun Zhang
Summary: This study found that the application of organic fertilizer enhances carbon and phosphorus cycling enzyme activities in soil, reshapes the soil microbial community structure, and regulates the interactions between these crucial indicators through soil organic carbon.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Soil Science
M. Pawlett, N. T. Girkin, L. Deeks, D. L. Evans, R. Sakrabani, P. Masters, K. Garnett, N. Marquez-Grant
Summary: The modern funeral industry faces environmental risks and challenges, and natural burial offers a more sustainable alternative. However, there is a lack of research comparing the risks and benefits of natural burial practices, including groundwater contamination and atmospheric emissions. More scientific research is needed to understand and regulate funeral options, as well as cultural incentives for natural burial.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Zhongcheng Wang, Jin Zhao, Dan Xiao, Meifeng Chen, Xunyang He
Summary: Root AMF colonization, diversity, and interactions vary with soil depth. Higher soil nutrient levels and root biomass promote colonization but suppress diversity and interactions in the upper soil layer compared to deeper layers.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Zhiyang Zhang, Shiting Zhang, Riikka Rinnan
Summary: This study revealed the mechanisms behind the effects of dung deposition on soil heterotrophic respiration, providing insights for grassland management and carbon feedback prediction in grazed ecosystems.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Ismail Ibrahim Garba, Graham R. Stirling, A. Marcelle Stirling, Alwyn Williams
Summary: Integrating diverse cover crops into dryland crop-fallow rotations can enhance soil nutrient and water retention, suppress soil-borne pests, and improve soil health. The effects on soil nematode communities are modulated by the functional type and mixture composition of the cover crops. Selecting cover crops with appropriate traits can improve soil health through suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes, promotion of free-living nematodes, and enhancement of soil food web complexity.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Soil Science
Min Li, Chao He, Miao Wei, Junmeng Long, Jingru Wang, Xinrong Yang, Kehan Wang, Xueli He
Summary: In extreme desert environments, black septate endophytes (DSE) can benefit the relict plant Gymnocarpos przewalskii by assisting it to survive and maintain ecosystem stability. The colonization of DSE in the roots of G. przewalskii varies significantly with seasons and sites, with soil properties being a major factor affecting the composition of DSE. Additionally, the functional metabolite composition of DSE strains varies greatly with different drought levels and isolates, indicating the potential complementarity between different strains in helping hosts cope with drought stress.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2024)