Article
Agronomy
Luiz H. Moro Rosso, Santiago Tamagno, Anelise L. da Silva, Adalgisa R. Torres, Rai A. Schwalbert, Ignacio A. Ciampitti
Summary: The study found that the base of the stem in soybean plants is a reliable fraction for quantifying ureide abundance, while the ureide content in upper leaflets is poorly correlated with values in the main stem. Additionally, the RAU trends in the upper petiole are similar to those in the base of the stem, but do not provide reliable RAU estimates.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yingru Zhou, Kuangnan Sun, Ying Mi, Benxiang Luo, Jing Xiang, Taowu Ma
Summary: Ficus tikoua can enhance revegetation and vegetation succession on Pb-Zn tailing wastelands by improving soil quality, reducing heavy metal content, and increasing vegetation coverage and biomass.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Malvina Ciernikova, Ivana Vykoukova, Tomas Orfanus, Elena Masarovicova
Summary: The research focused on evaluating the functional traits of plant species growing in an unfavorable environment and identified different adaptive strategies to extreme conditions. Despite belonging to different strategic groups, the selected plant species showed high plasticity and suitability for remediation, forming vital populations under unfavorable conditions. Revegetation was identified as a key measure for remediating landfill waste from nickel smelters.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cornelis A. M. Wagemaker, Liesje Mommer, Eric J. W. Visser, Alexandra Weigelt, Thomas P. van Gurp, Maarten Postuma, Annemiek E. Smit-Tiekstra, Hans de Kroon
Summary: Plant interactions belowground are important and difficult to quantify accurately. The msGBS method presented in this study allows for high taxonomic resolution and parallel quantification of multiple species in root samples. Compared to qPCR, msGBS offers similar results with advantages in revealing hidden belowground interactions.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Qifang He, Kai Jiang, Weicheng Hou, Yang Zhao, Xinhang Sun, Lu Wang, Yike Zou, Zhenhao Zhu, Hui Zhang
Summary: This study investigated the aboveground and belowground traits of plants in grazed and nongrazed plant communities in a subalpine ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Results showed a significant shift in the relationship between species relative abundance in grazed and nongrazed meadows, with belowground traits explaining more variances in species abundance in the nongrazed meadow compared to aboveground traits.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mengistu Wale, Mesele Yihune
Summary: This study documents the species composition, relative abundance, and habitat association of non-volant small mammals in Menz Guassa Community Conservation Area, central Ethiopia. The results indicate a relatively high diversity of small mammals in the area, with variation observed across seasons and habitats.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Giselle Ailin Chichizola, Sofia Laura Gonzalez, Adriana Edit Rovere
Summary: The study revealed that roadsides in the Patagonian steppe serve as reservoirs for invasive exotic species, with higher abundance and seed availability of exotic species compared to native species. The vegetation was dominated by native shrubs but also included exotic perennial herbs and grasses. The seed bank primarily consisted of exotic perennial herbs and annual exotic species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Masashi Soga, Yuya Fukano, Tomoyo F. Koyanagi, Kevin J. Gaston
Summary: The conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services are crucial in response to the current biodiversity crisis. Cultural ecosystem services, specifically aesthetic value, are influenced more by the abundance of individuals rather than the diversity of cultivars in flowering plant communities. These preference patterns are consistent across participants' nature orientation, ecological knowledge, and gender, highlighting the important role of wildlife abundance in shaping cultural services provided by ecosystems.
URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Lance F. Merrick, Andrew W. Herr, Karansher S. Sandhu, Dennis N. Lozada, Arron H. Carter
Summary: This review explores methods to optimize breeding programs for maximizing genetic gain and selection accuracy through genomic selection. These methods include reorganizing field designs, increasing the number of lines evaluated, and utilizing large amounts of genomic and phenotypic data.
Article
Microbiology
Shelby E. McIlroy, Casey P. TerHorst, Mark Teece, Mary Alice Coffroth
Summary: This study manipulated the density and relative ratio of two coral endosymbiont species and investigated their impact on nutrient exchange with the host. The results showed that the uptake and translocation of carbon and nitrogen varied depending on the density and dominance of symbiont species. Host regulation and suppression of symbiont competition can lead to a more beneficial mutualism.
Article
Ecology
Josep Padulles Cubino, Irena Axmanova, Zdena Lososova, Martin Vecera, Ariel Bergamini, Helge Bruelheide, Juergen Dengler, Ute Jandt, Florian Jansen, Ricarda Paetsch, Milan Chytry
Summary: Niche filtering theory predicts that abundant species in communities have similar traits that are suitable for the environment. In this study, we used a trait-based approach to investigate the positioning of abundant and rare species along different axes of trait variation in temperate grassland communities in Central Europe. Our findings suggest that niche filtering, particularly resource-acquisition trade-offs, drives species abundance in these grassland communities.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Colin Brock, Virginia Morera-Pujol, Kilian J. Murphy, Maarten Nieuwenhuis, Simone Ciuti
Summary: This study examines the relationship between forest damage, forest characteristics, and deer species, using high resolution deer distribution data and forest inventory data in Ireland. The study found that forest characteristics play a key role in the severity and type of deer-caused forest damage, and that the type and severity of damage are influenced by the interaction of multiple deer species occurring simultaneously. The study also provides predicted damage scenarios based on the relative abundance of different co-occurring deer species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Patrice de Werra, Christophe Debonneville, Isabelle Kellenberger, Brice Dupuis
Summary: Pectobacterium and Dickeya species are causal agents of blackleg and soft rot diseases in potatoes. P. brasiliense has shown a drastic increase in abundance in most European countries in the past decade, despite not necessarily being the most virulent. Pathogenicity alone does not explain the prevalence of certain species in Swiss potato fields.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mulu Negesse, Dereje Yazezew, Gezahegn Degefe, Gezahegn Getachew
Summary: The species composition, relative abundance, and distribution of rodents were studied in the Wof-Washa Natural State Forest in Ethiopia. Seven species of rodents were recorded, with three of them being endemic to Ethiopia. The trapping success and Shannon index varied significantly among different habitats.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Dina in 't Zandt, Tomas Herben, Annelien van den Brink, Eric J. W. Visser, Hans de Kroon
Summary: The interactions between plants and soil play a crucial role in plant community assembly processes, with plant species abundance often influenced by plant-soil biota interactions. The predominately negative relationship between plant-soil feedback and plant relative abundance is significantly time-dependent, potentially reconciling conflicting results in literature. More abundant plant species are stabilized by negative feedback, while less abundant species co-vary with competitive species, highlighting the importance of plant-soil feedback in regulating plant communities.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Pedro Jose Garrote, Antonio Ramon Castilla, Jose Maria Fedriani
Summary: This study investigates the role of nurse-beneficiary plant interactions in the success of revegetation projects, showing that shifts in plant-plant interactions can affect plant recruitment and performance. The study also highlights the strong inter-individual variation in these interactions and proposes management recommendations to increase plant recruitment and project success.
APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Raquel Munoz-Gallego, Jose M. Fedriani, Pau E. Serra, Anna Traveset
Summary: Plant-animal interactions have a wide range of effects on plant reproductive success. This study examines the isolated and joint effects of two introduced herbivores on pollinator abundance and plant reproductive success in the Mediterranean dwarf palm.
Article
Plant Sciences
Belen Mendez-Vigo, Antonio R. Castilla, Rocio Gomez, Arnald Marcer, Carlos Alonso-Blanco, F. Xavier Pico
Summary: This study focuses on the effects of spatiotemporal heterogeneity on genetic variation in a natural population of Arabidopsis thaliana. The results show that temporal variation is more significant than spatial variation, and genetic relatedness plays a key role in phenotypic variation.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
M. Teresa Alonso-Lopez, Pedro J. Garrote, Jose M. Fedriani
Summary: The spatial distribution of individuals has important effects on the reproduction of self-incompatible trees, with higher conspecific density resulting in competition for pollinators. However, trees close to flowering conspecifics have higher fruit set despite receiving fewer visits from pollinators, indicating pollen limitation rather than pollinator limitation. Additionally, spatially isolated trees have higher crop sizes, which may be attributed to reduced competition for resources and higher reproductive investment.
ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Pedro J. Garrote, Antonio R. Castilla, Jose M. Fedriani
Summary: Seed dispersal is crucial for plant (re)colonization in human-altered habitats, and understanding the spatial patterns and mechanisms of dispersal is essential. A study in southwestern Spain found that the Eurasian badger plays a central role in the seed dispersal and colonization of Mediterranean old-fields. The study also revealed variations in the strength and scale of spatial associations between mammal feces, plant seeds, and adult plants, providing evidence for both density-dependent mortality effects and facilitative effects.
PERSPECTIVES IN PLANT ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Victor Gonzalez-Garcia, Pedro J. Garrote, Jose M. Fedriani
Summary: Although farmlands are the most extensive terrestrial biomes, the abandonment of traditional agriculture has created opportunities and challenges for the restoration of human-disturbed habitats. This study found that the spatial distribution of perch plants affects the seed arrival via frugivorous birds, with isolated plants receiving more bird feces and dispersed seeds. These findings provide valuable insights for the restoration of disturbed habitats.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Pedro J. J. Garrote, Antonio R. R. Castilla, F. Xavier Pico, Jose M. M. Fedriani
Summary: This study examines the spatiotemporal genetic variation in seedlings of a keystone pioneer palm and its impact on plant recruitment. The authors found that seedlings from carnivore-dispersed seeds showed moderate to high levels of genetic diversity and no inbreeding. There was a genetic sub-structure among seedlings, with sibling relationships varying depending on spatial scale. While rare genotypes arrived slightly later and tended to be spatially isolated, genetic rarity was not a significant predictor of seedling survival. The study emphasizes the importance of studying plant-animal interactions from a genetic perspective for plant conservation.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Brayan Morera, Victor Montalvo, Eduardo Carrillo, Ronald Sanchez, Miriam Selwyn, Jose M. Fedriani, Carolina Saenz-Bolanos, Todd K. Fuller
Summary: The study examines the spatial and temporal interactions between white-tailed deer and horses in Costa Rica. The results suggest that white-tailed deer prefer areas with horses and habitats such as grassland and shrubland. Although there is a high degree of overlap in activity patterns between horses and white-tailed deer, the presence of horses does not negatively affect the spatiotemporal activity of white-tailed deer.
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Raquel Munoz-Gallego, Thorsten Wiegand, Anna Traveset, Jose M. Fedriani
Summary: This study investigates the interaction between Mediterranean palm and feral goat, and finds that the intensity of goat activity affects palm distribution, seed rain, and seed predation. In areas with low goat activity, seeds are spatially aggregated around adult palms but experience higher insect-seed predation and lower seed germination success. In areas with high goat activity, palm seed dispersal and recruitment are almost non-existent due to heavy consumption by goats. The study shows how the outcome of plant-animal interactions can vary from mutualism to antagonism and even reproductive collapse depending on species abundance and activity.
Article
Plant Sciences
P. J. Garrote, M. N. Bugalho, J. M. Fedriani
Summary: This study investigates the effects of plant intrinsic and extrinsic factors on plant-ungulate interactions in Mediterranean ecosystems. The results suggest that severe clipping and seedling aging decrease seedling survival, while moderate clipping has no effect. Nurse shrubs play a role in increasing seedling size and improving survival. The study emphasizes the importance of managing severe herbivory and summer droughts to protect plant communities.
Article
Ecology
Antonio R. Castilla, Alissa Brown, Sean Hoban, Everett Andrew Abhainn, John D. Robinson, Jeanne Romero-Severson, Adam B. Smith, Allan E. Strand, John R. Tipton, Andria Dawson
Summary: Biogeographers have compared estimates of range shift rates using different data types and found that integrating genetic data with other data types can reduce uncertainty and improve consistency in estimates. By integrating these three lines of biogeographical evidence, our understanding of past species distribution can be enhanced.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)