Article
Plant Sciences
Jessie Woodbridge, Ralph Fyfe, David Smith, Ruth Pelling, Anne de Vareilles, Robert Batchelor, Andrew Bevan, Althea L. Davies
Summary: Biodiversity plays a key role in ecosystem functioning, habitat recovery, and resilience to environmental changes. Long-term ecological records, such as pollen grains and fossil insects, can be used to explore biodiversity patterns over centuries. Human population changes, insect faunal groups, and climate trends have been found to be related to palynological diversity. Human activities have influenced palynological diversity patterns, suggesting a need for further research to understand biodiversity drivers on a regional scale.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Christopher L. Crawford, Lyndon D. Estes, Timothy D. Searchinger, David S. Wilcove
Summary: The representation of biodiversity in land-use planning tools faces challenges due to variation in different biodiversity approaches, resulting in very low spatial agreement regarding which areas to convert to agriculture. Differences in taxonomic groups, species richness metrics, combination methods, and spatial resolutions all play a role in determining conservation priorities. This highlights the need for a more consistent and transparent framework for designing biodiversity indices used in land-use planning.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jacob D. O'Sullivan, J. Christopher D. Terry, Axel G. Rossberg
Summary: This study develops a simple patch occupancy framework and analyzes a dataset of freshwater metacommunities in England to understand the distribution of species occupancy and predict metacommunity-scale species turnover. The results show that the model provides a good fit to empirical OFDs and can be used for prediction.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Carl Beierkuhnlein, Anna Walentowitz, Walter Welss
Summary: The flora of the Canary Islands has been studied for over 200 years, with a focus on biodiversity and the impact of drivers of change. Endemic plant species evolution plays a significant role in population decline and competitiveness. This work provides a comprehensive basis for biogeographical and macroecological studies, highlighting the increase in non-native species and the importance of standard international nomenclature integration.
Article
Ecology
Zsuzsanna Lanczos, Zsolt Vegvari, Zoltan Ecsedi, Emil Boros
Summary: This study is the first attempt to examine the habitat selection of the lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), a locally rare bird, by analyzing opportunistic observation data and Corine Land Cover habitat map. The results show that the birds prefer landfills, river and lake habitats, with a smaller attraction towards urban areas and aversion to arable lands. The study demonstrates that non-standardized citizen science data can provide a representative picture of habitat selection for rare and moderately common bird species.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Joseph P. Wayman, Jonathan P. Sadler, Thomas A. M. Pugh, Thomas E. Martin, Joseph A. Tobias, Thomas J. Matthews
Summary: The aim of this study was to determine the primary drivers of compositional change in breeding bird assemblages over a 40-year period in Britain. Using morphological trait measurements and presence-absence data, the researchers calculated temporal taxonomic and functional beta diversity for each hectad, and assessed the potential drivers of beta diversity. The results showed that initial species richness and spatial autocorrelation were the most important predictors of compositional change, while climate and land-use variables had relatively low explanatory power.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Esteban F. Soto, Rocio A. Pozo, Pablo Diaz-Siefer, Juan L. Celis-Diez, Francisco E. Fonturbel
Summary: Land-use change, particularly the expansion of agriculture, leads to biodiversity loss. Ecological intensification, aiming to increase crop yields while conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services, is important. This study assessed vertebrate diversity in apple and cherry crops, finding that diversity and abundance of native species increased in crops surrounded by more natural vegetation. The presence of exotic species explained most differences. Therefore, maintaining natural areas nearby crop fields is crucial for enhancing biodiversity and the ecosystem services provided by native species.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jane Hallam, Nyeema C. Harris
Summary: Ongoing anthropogenic change is impacting biodiversity and ecosystem functioning by altering the planet at an unprecedented rate. This change is causing shifts in the diet of species, affecting trophic interactions and food web dynamics. Researchers have a variety of tools to study these changes and argue that diet data is crucial for ecological studies on global change. A holistic approach that considers diet choice, trophic interactions, and environmental drivers may help predict biodiversity trends and identify early warning signs of diversity loss.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Eliza Fragkopoulou, Ester A. Serrao, Olivier De Clerck, Mark J. Costello, Miguel B. Araujo, Carlos M. Duarte, Dorte Krause-Jensen, Jorge Assis
Summary: This study provides a global analysis of species richness and endemicity of kelp and fucoid biomes. Temperature and light were found to be the main predictors shaping the distribution of subtidal species, while wave energy, temperature, and salinity were the main predictors of intertidal species. The highest regional species richness for kelp was found in the north-east Pacific, and for fucoids in south-east Australia. Low species richness was observed in regions with extensive ice coverage and low-salinity regimes. The Galapagos Islands, Antarctica, South Africa, and East Russia were identified as regions of high endemism for both kelp and fucoids.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Hamutahl Cohen, Monika Egerer, Summer-Solstice Thomas, Stacy M. Philpott
Summary: The study revealed that urban cover and garden size are positively associated with bee species richness and abundance. Urban cover is also related to the prevalence of specific bee traits, suggesting that urbanization selects for species with certain characteristics.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Micah Brush, Thomas J. Matthews, Paulo A. Borges, John Harte
Summary: Human activity and land management practices have led to global loss of biodiversity. We examined the effects of different land use types on three macroecological patterns: species abundance distribution, individual metabolic rate distribution, and species-area relationship. Our findings indicate that forest habitats match the predictions the best, while semi-natural pastures consistently have the worst fit. This information provides insights into how land use and disturbance affect ecosystems.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Fabio de Oliveira Roque, Angelica Guerra, Matthew Johnson, Carlos Padovani, Juliano Corbi, Alan P. Covich, Donald Eaton, Walfrido Moraes Tomas, Francisco Valente-Neto, Ana Claudia Piovezan Borges, Alexandra Pinho, Alexeia Barufatii, Bruno do Amaral Crispim, Rafael Dettogni Guariento, Maria Helena da Silva Andrade, Ary Tavares Rezende-Filho, Rodolfo Portela, Marcia Divina, Julio Cesar Sampaio da Silva, Cassio Bernadino, E. Erica Fernanda Goncalves Gomes de Sa, Pedro Cordeiro-Estrela, Arnaud Desbiez, Isabel M. D. Rosa, Lisa Yon
Summary: A study estimated the pesticide load in the Pantanal and surrounding highlands region for 2050 under different scenarios, predicting varying levels of pesticide usage depending on the scenario. Higher pesticide usage is expected in subbasins with greater agricultural areas within major hydrographic basins.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Trevor R. Tisler, Fernanda Z. Teixeira, Rodrigo A. A. Nobrega
Summary: Policy and legislation often overlook the significance of preserving road- and railroad-free intact ecosystems. However, Brazil's RLRL areas, which hold the majority of the country's remaining native vegetation, offer opportunities for conservation and restoration planning, as well as the fulfillment of national and international environmental protection commitments.
Review
Plant Sciences
A. K. M. Mominul Islam, Thiti Suttiyut, Md. Parvez Anwar, Abdul Shukor Juraimi, Hisashi Kato-Noguchi
Summary: The Lamiaceae family of plants, known for their pharmacological and toxicological properties, has the potential to be a source of alternative herbicides. However, gaps in our knowledge need to be addressed before adopting their allelopathic activities.
Article
Ecology
Fredric M. Windsor, Johan van den Hoogen, Thomas W. Crowther, Darren M. Evans
Summary: Ecological networks have traditionally been studied at smaller scales, but recent efforts to collect global data have provided an opportunity to gain enhanced insights into ecology and biogeography. By understanding patterns in ecological interactions at different scales, we can improve our understanding of the natural world and address issues such as species distribution, restoration ecology, and conservation.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Krista N. Oswald, Alan T. K. Lee, Ben Smit
Summary: In the study of Cape rockjumpers, a mountain-dwelling bird species, it was found that they exhibit lower BMR and thermal conductance, as well as higher maximum thermogenic capacity and body condition in winter compared to summer. These physiological adaptations allow them to conserve energy during the winter months while still being able to generate metabolic heat in cold temperatures. The differences in metabolic responses between seasons may be influenced by their mountain habitat specialization and their phylogenetic placement within the passerine group.
JOURNAL OF THERMAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alan T. K. Lee, Matt B. Macray, Peter G. Ryan, Graham J. Alexander
Summary: Fencing, including electric fencing, is commonly used in livestock and game ranching practices in South Africa. This study found that electric fences had a significantly higher tortoise mortality rate compared to non-electric fences, with game farms more likely to be associated with the presence of electric fences. Efforts are needed to regulate the use of electric fences to minimize mortality of vulnerable species.
JOURNAL FOR NATURE CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ornithology
Alan Tristram Kenneth Lee, Ulf Ottosson, Colin Jackson, Sidney Shema, Chevonne Reynolds
Summary: The study found lower species richness in urban areas of Africa, with no significant differences in functional diversity. Urban areas had smaller bird species, but similar overall biomass compared to rural areas. Urban exploiter species were described as scavengers, and urban planning should focus on protecting rare and large bird species.
Article
Ecology
Dinusha Priyadarshani, Res Altwegg, Alan T. K. Lee, Wen-Han Hwang
Summary: The time taken to detect a species during site occupancy surveys contains important information about the observation process. By accounting for the observation process, better inference about site occupancy can be made. We developed a new mixed exponential time-to-detection (TTD) occupancy model that can simultaneously estimate detection intensity and aggregation parameters, providing a better description of occupancy patterns.
Editorial Material
Ornithology
Alan T. K. Lee
Review
Ecology
Jorn Theuerkauf, Camila P. Villavicencio, Nicolas M. Adreani, Alfredo Attisano, Adrian Craig, Pietro B. D'Amelio, Roman Gula, Alan T. K. Lee, Lucia Mentesana, Petra Quillfeldt, Veronica Quirici, Rene Quispe, Rodrigo A. Vasquez, John C. Wingfield, Juan F. Masello
Summary: The Southern Hemisphere differs from the Northern Hemisphere in many aspects. Most ecological and evolutionary research is conducted in the Northern Hemisphere, leading to overlooking unique characteristics of the south. Ornithology provides examples to demonstrate the importance of including a southern perspective in investigating fundamental biological questions. More research in the Southern Hemisphere, along with increased cooperation among researchers, will provide a broader global outlook into ecology and evolution.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Editorial Material
Ornithology
Colleen T. Downs, Will Cresswell, Liza Monteiro, Joanne Bezuidenhout, Nina Freysen-Pretorious, Alan T. K. Lee, Preshnee Singh, Sandi Willows-Munro
Article
Ornithology
Michael Brooks, Sanjo Rose, Res Altwegg, Alan T. K. Lee, Henk Nel, Ulf Ottosson, Ernst Retief, Chevonne Reynolds, Peter G. Ryan, Sidney Shema, Talatu Tende, Les G. Underhill, Robert L. Thomson
Summary: The African Bird Atlas Project is a citizen-science bird-monitoring programme that uses a robust protocol to collect bird lists and provide insights into the distributions and conservation of African birds. It is a significant project with a large database and has inspired similar initiatives in Kenya and Nigeria. The project covers the entire African continent and involves citizen scientists collecting species lists within specific areas. The collected data is vetted and made available to the public via open access websites.
Article
Ornithology
Alan T. K. Lee, Sophie A. J. Hammer
Summary: The study used data sets from the Southern African Bird Atlas Project to determine relative change in bird populations, with the greatest declines observed in Palearctic migrants and birds with breeding grounds in southern Asia.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Alan Tristram Kenneth Lee, Gillian McGregor, Anina Coetzee
Summary: In this study, the harvest methods of Cyclopia intermedia were observed, and the yield was estimated based on height and stem number. The results showed that plants in valleys or with high surrounding vegetation had higher yield values and potential fecundity. Additionally, plant size was correlated with mortality rate after harvesting, with smaller plants having higher mortality. However, after two years of drought, high mortality was not influenced by harvesting category or environmental variables, indicating that drought leads to high plant mortality regardless of harvest history.
AGROECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Philipp H. Boersch-Supan, Alan Tristram Kenneth Lee, Hans-Dieter Oschadleus
Summary: The Underhill-Zucchini model has played an important role in the study of moult in birds' annual cycles, but the inferences are susceptible to imperfect moult data and violations of model assumptions. Recent extensions to the Underhill-Zucchini framework have been demonstrated to aid in the robust estimation of moult parameters, particularly when within-season recapture data is available.
Biographical-Item
Ornithology
Alan T. K. Lee, Sandi Willows-Munro, David A. Ehlers Smith, Preshnee Singh
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Alan Tristram Kenneth Lee, Melissa A. Whitecross, Hanneline A. Smit-Robinson, David G. Allan, Linda van den Heever, Andrew Jenkins, Ernst F. Retief, Robin B. Colyn, Warwick Tarboton, Kishaylin Chetty, Christiaan Willem Brink
Summary: Long-term citizen science atlas data has shown concerning declines in the population of Black Stork in South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini. Recent surveys revealed evidence of nest site abandonment and limited evidence of breeding in northern South Africa. Population declines indicate limited breeding success and a non-breeding population in wildlife refuges.
BIRD CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Sanjo Rose, Robert Leslie Thomson, Alan Tristam Kenneth Lee, Peter Geoffrey Ryan
Summary: The Agulhas Long-billed Lark is a species restricted to the transformed Agulhas Plain, South Africa. This study provides new information on its nesting behavior, parental care, and breeding success. The lark prefers to nest in Renosterveld and faces threats such as nest predation, habitat loss, and exposure to pesticides.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alan T. K. Lee, Michael Brooks, Les G. Underhill
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Narendra Nelli, Diana Francis, Ricardo Fonseca, Olivier Masson, Mamadou Sow, Emmanuel Bosc
Summary: This study investigates the changes in the atmospheric electric field (Ez) during foggy conditions in the hyperarid region of the United Arab Emirates. The results show that as fog persists, Ez becomes more variable due to the absorption and redistribution of charges by the fog, which alters the ion balance and affects electrical conductivity in the atmosphere.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Ezra Hadad, Amir Balaban, Jakub Z. Kosicki, Reuven Yosef
Summary: This study investigated whether the prey of striped hyenas has adapted to the change in the natural environment caused by human activities, particularly artificial light at night (ALAN). The results showed that ALAN had no impact on the diet or den distribution of the hyenas in central Israel. The study also found that domestic animals were the most common prey, and there were also some vegetative species in their diet. Overall, the feeding behavior of striped hyenas is influenced by geographical region, habitat, and human activities.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2024)
Article
Ecology
Rahim Najafi Tireh Shabankareh, Pardis Ziaee, Mohammad Javad Abedini
Summary: This study evaluated the IMERG satellite-based precipitation product in the Fars province of Iran using daily rain gauges as reference data. The results showed that the product tends to overestimate light rainfall and underestimate heavy rainfall, with the best performance in the 40-80 mm/day range. The accuracy of the product varies by month and is less biased in months with milder temperatures. Additionally, there was a higher correlation in mid-elevated areas, positive bias in low-elevated areas, and negative bias in high-elevated areas. Longer time scales showed considerable improvement in the IMERG estimates.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2024)