Article
Forestry
Filipe Campelo, Alvaro Rubio-Cuadrado, Fernando Montes, Michele Colangelo, Cristina Valeriano, J. Julio Camarero
Summary: This study investigates the effects of different leaf and xylem traits on wood formation and tree-ring development in coexisting tree species in a Mediterranean forest. The simulations show that climate warming will result in reduced growth in both deciduous and evergreen oaks, with evergreen oaks being better able to recover after drought.
Article
Ecology
Gema Hernan, Maria J. Ortega, Jeremy Henderson, Josep Alos, Katharyn Boyer, Stephanie Cimon, Vincent Combes, Mathieu Cusson, Clara M. Hereu, Margot Hessing-Lewis, Kevin Hovel, Pablo Jorgensen, Stephanie Kiriakopolos, Nicole Kollars, Mary I. O Connor, Jeanine Olsen, Pamela L. Reynolds, Jennifer Ruesink, Erin Voigt, Fiona Tomas
Summary: This study found that both latitude and resource availability have significant impacts on plant defense strategies against herbivory, and that plant defenses may not linearly respond to increased herbivory pressure.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Philip G. Hahn, Ken Keefover-Ring, Linh M. N. Nguyen, John L. Maron
Summary: The study shows that there are negative, neutral, and positive correlations between plant growth and defense at different scales, indicating that resource availability influences the evolution of defense characteristics.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Domingo Sancho-Knapik, Alfonso Escudero, Sonia Mediavilla, Christine Scoffoni, Joseph Zailaa, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, Tomas Gomez Alvarez-Arenas, Arantzazu Molins, David Alonso-Forn, Juan Pedro Ferrio, Jose Javier Peguero-Pina, Eustaquio Gil-Pelegrin
Summary: Research shows that deciduous and evergreen species exhibit differences in LMA, leaf thickness, and leaf density, influenced by native climates and phylogeny. In arid environments, both LMA and leaf thickness increase, with evergreen species also increasing leaf density, while deciduous species decrease in leaf density.
Article
Plant Sciences
Mohammad Tavangar, Parviz Ehsanzadeh, Hamidreza Eshghizadeh
Summary: This study found that Iranian borage is tolerant to moderate salt stress and antioxidative enzymes as well as secondary metabolites play a key role in its adaptation. However, high salt concentrations lead to severe damage to most genotypes.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
G. S. da Silva, G. Firmino, A. Ferraro, B. Appezzato-da-Gloria
Summary: This study investigated the protection of aerial buds in three Eugenia species in a Brazilian Cerrado area. The results showed that all three species had highly protected aerial buds allocated from belowground organs, which may improve their chances of survival in harsh environments.
Article
Plant Sciences
Alden B. Griffith, Vikki L. Rodgers, Jeffrey S. Dukes
Summary: Theories of plant invasions suggest that plant communities are more easily invaded when resources increase and competition decreases. Experimental manipulations showed that removing competitors significantly increased invasibility, while precipitation had little effect and moderate drought relief actually led to higher invasibility. The study demonstrates the complex interplay between abiotic and biotic factors in mediating invasibility.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Yong Zhu, Likang Qin, Yue Chen, Shaoqi Zhou
Summary: The release patterns of phenolics in Tartary buckwheat during gastrointestinal digestion were investigated using a simulated digestion protocol. The study revealed that phenolic compounds including rutin, quercetin, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DA), 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzoic acid (TA), and chlorogenic acid (CA) were released. The majority of rutin was degraded into quercetin, and the availability of these phenolics was high, contributing to the antioxidant activity.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Joanna Oracz, Dorota Zyzelewicz, Barbara Pacholczyk-Sienicka
Summary: For the first time, this study provides a comprehensive characterization and quantification of phenolic compounds in raw and heat-treated northern red oak seeds using UHPLC-DAD-ESI-HRMS/MS. A total of 42 phenolic compounds belonging to five different groups were identified, with significant variability in composition observed among different treatment conditions. Roasting led to a reduction in total phenolic content, ellagitannins, gallotannins, and phenolic glycosides, but an increase in HBA and EA derivatives. Among the roasted samples, the highest total phenolics content was found at 185 degrees C for 25 minutes, while the lowest amounts were observed at 135 degrees C for 80 minutes.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Andrea Galman, Carla Vazquez-Gonzalez, Gregory Roeder, Bastien Castagneyrol
Summary: The effects of plant diversity on plant defences vary under different tree species compositions and water availability conditions, and are not mediated by changes in tree stem diameter. Reduced defensive investment in more diverse stands may negatively impact tree resistance.
Article
Plant Sciences
Matthew A. Kaproth, Brett W. Fredericksen, Antonio Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Andrew L. Hipp, Jeannine Cavender-Bares
Summary: Distinct survival strategies can result from trade-offs in plant function under contrasting environments. The widespread oaks of the Americas show an interspecific trade-off between drought resistance and growth capacity, with oaks from xeric climates exhibiting higher osmolyte accumulation and reduced stomatal pore area index. Leaf habit mediates the growth and drought resistance strategies of oaks, with deciduous and evergreen species from xeric climates having increased drought tolerance through osmoregulation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luis M. G. Castro, Tania B. Ribeiro, Elisabete M. C. Alexandre, Jorge A. Saraiva, Manuela Pintado
Summary: This study explored the effects of different dehusking methods on the phenolic contents and antioxidant activity of acorns from different species. The results showed that thermal dehusking and dehusking by drying had different effects on different acorn species in terms of phenolic contents and antioxidant activity.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Isabel Casal-Porras, Rocio Jimenez-Ramos, Eva Zubia, Fernando G. Brun
Summary: Herbivory is a fundamental process regulating ecosystems on land and in the sea, but the relationships between seagrasses and consumers are not fully understood. This study focused on the feeding behavior of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus on two seagrass species, finding that nutritional properties have a greater impact than chemical traits. Additionally, it demonstrated for the first time the deterrent properties of rosmarinic acid and sulphated flavonoids produced by Z. noltei.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Cynthia Perkovich, David Ward
Summary: The evolution of plant defenses is often constrained by phylogeny, with differences between plant defense theories depending on the location of meristem damage and amount of tissue removed. Oak species in the Quercus genus prioritize access to light, leading to a greater investment in defense when apical meristem tissue is removed. While growth-defense trade-offs exist within the Quercus genus, adaptations to herbivory vary among species and are not always constrained by phylogeny.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eleomar de O. Pires Jr, Eliana Pereira, Carla Pereira, Maria Ines Dias, Ricardo C. Calhelha, Ana Ciric, Marina Sokovic, Gustavo Hassemer, Carolina Castilho Garcia, Cristina Caleja, Lillian Barros, Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira
Summary: The flowers of Impatiens walleriana, with their attractive colors, have sparked interest in the food industry as a potential natural source of coloring ingredients. This study focused on the chemical and bioactive characterization of pink and orange flowers of I. walleriana, revealing significant amounts of phenolic compounds and various bioactivities. Despite the orange variety having a wider variety of phenolic compounds, the total amount was lower than the pink variety, making the flowers of I. walleriana a promising resource for the food industry to explore.
Article
Plant Sciences
Teresa Quijano-Medina, Ted C. J. Turlings, Paula Sosenski, Luca Grandi, Jose C. Cervera, Xoaquin Moreira, Luis Abdala-Roberts
Summary: This study investigated the effects of soil salinity on the expression of multiple direct and indirect defensive traits in wild cotton. Results showed that salinity prevented the induction of phenolic compounds and affected trait correlations. The findings contribute to a better understanding of how abiotic context dependency shapes plant allocation to and expression of multiple defensive traits.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Thomas Damestoy, Xoaquin Moreira, Herve Jactel, Elena Valdes-Correcher, Christophe Plomion, Bastien Castagneyrol
Summary: Oak processionary moth larvae performed better on Q. petraea than on Q. robur, regardless of plant neighbour type. Oak neighbours altered the expression of leaf traits associated with defence, but this had no measurable consequences on OPM performance.
ENTOMOLOGIA GENERALIS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Charlotte Poeydebat, Herve Jactel, Xoaquin Moreira, Julia Koricheva, Nadia Barsoum, Jurgen Bauhus, Nico Eisenhauer, Olga Ferlian, Marta Francisco, Felix Gottschall, Dominique Gravel, Bill Mason, Evalyne Muiruri, Bart Muys, Charles Nock, Alain Paquette, Quentin Ponette, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Victoria Stokes, Michael Staab, Kris Verheyen, Bastien Castagneyrol
Summary: This study found that insect herbivory on silver birch decreased with increasing tree species richness in colder environments, but this relationship weakened with higher mean annual temperature. Birch leaf chemical defences increased with tree species richness but decreased with the phylogenetic distinctiveness of birch from its neighbors, particularly in warmer and more humid environments. Herbivory was negatively correlated with leaf chemical defences, especially when birch was associated with closely related species.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Eduardo Soares Calixto, Leticia Rodrigues Novaes, Danilo Ferreira Borges dos Santos, Denise Lange, Xoaquin Moreira, Kleber Del-Claro
Summary: This study investigated the effects of temperature and rainfall on ant-plant-herbivore interactions, discovering that rainfall directly and indirectly influenced extrafloral nectar secretion activity, leading to changes in ant abundance, but not affecting herbivore levels. The results provide insight into how climate impacts seasonal patterns in these mutualistic interactions, emphasizing the importance of plant phenology.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Xoaquin Moreira, Luis Abdala-Roberts, Pieter De Frenne, Andrea Galman, Alvaro Gaytan, Raimo Jaatinen, Beatriz Lago-Nunez, Camille Meeussen, Pertti Pulkkinen, Pil U. Rasmussen, Jan P. J. G. Ten Hoopen, Bart G. H. Timmermans, Carla Vazquez-Gonzalez, Nick Bos, Bastien Castagneyrol, Ayco J. M. Tack
Summary: The study revealed a positive but saturating association between latitude and leaf herbivory, while no significant relationship was found between conspecific plant density (CPD) and herbivory. This lack of density effects remained consistent throughout the sampled latitudinal gradient.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Elena Valdes-Correcher, Xoaquin Moreira, Laurent Augusto, Luc Barbaro, Christophe Bouget, Olivier Bouriaud, Manuela Branco, Giada Centenaro, Gyorgy Csoka, Thomas Damestoy, Jovan Dobrosavljevic, Mihai-Leonard Duduman, Anne-Maimiti Dulaurent, Csaba B. Eotvos, Maria Faticov, Marco Ferrante, Agnes Furjes-Miko, Andrea Galman, Martin M. Gossner, Arndt Hampe, Deborah Harvey, Andrew Gordon Howe, Yasmine Kadiri, Michele Kaennel-Dobbertin, Julia Koricheva, Alexander Kozel, Mikhail V. Kozlov, Gabor L. Lovei, Daniela Lupastean, Slobodan Milanovic, Anna Mrazova, Lars Opgennoorth, Juha-Matti Pitkanen, Anna Popova, Marija Popovic, Andreas Prinzing, Valentin Queloz, Tomas Roslin, Aurelien Salle, Katerina Sam, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Andreas Schuldt, Andrey Selikhovkin, Lassi Suominen, Ayco J. M. Tack, Marketa Tahadlova, Rebecca Thomas, Bastien Castagneyrol
Summary: Recent studies have found that climatic factors, rather than latitude, are the best predictors of large-scale variation in plant-herbivore interactions. Leaf-miners and gall-inducers incidence, as well as leaf nutritional content, were associated with climatic factors. However, leaf damage, plant chemical defenses, and bird attack rates were not influenced by climatic factors or latitude.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Andrea Galman, Luis Abdala-Roberts, Pola Wartalska, Felisa Covelo, Gregory Roder, Mark A. Szenteczki, Xoaquin Moreira, Sergio Rasmann
Summary: The study found that direct constitutive defenses (such as lignins and hydrolysable tannins) in Quercus pyrenaica saplings decreased with increasing elevation, while there was no clear elevational gradient for constitutive indirect defenses (volatile organic compounds) or the inducibility of defensive traits. However, increased induction of certain monoterpenes at higher elevations was observed at the individual tree level. Additionally, there was a significant pattern of co-expression of constitutive and induced phenolics across populations, which weakened with increasing elevation, suggesting a complex relationship between plant defenses and elevation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xoaquin Moreira, Rodrigo R. Granjel, Maria de la Fuente, Pilar Fernandez-Conradi, Viviana Pasch, Pilar Soengas, Ted C. J. Turlings, Carla Vazquez-Gonzalez, Luis Abdala-Roberts, Sergio Rasmann
Summary: Plant communication in response to fungal infection between potato plants did not result in significant effects, as fungal infection did not significantly alter the total amount or composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by emitter plants. Pathogen inhibition of VOC emissions may explain the lack of communication between plants.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Eduardo Soares Calixto, Denise Lange, Xoaquin Moreira, Kleber Del-Claro
Summary: The outcomes of mutualistic interactions between ants and plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) are context-dependent, influenced by factors such as the number, density, and size of EFNs, as well as the identity and abundance of attending ants. A field experiment in the Brazilian savanna found that the predatory behavior of Camponotus crassus ants varied among five EFN-bearing plant species, with significantly greater abundance and activity in the plant species producing higher volumes and sugar concentrations of extrafloral nectar.
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
Forestry
Xoaquin Moreira, Carla Vazquez-Gonzalez, Luis Abdala-Roberts
Summary: Weather conditions and resource-driven lagged negative autocorrelations are key drivers of population inter-annual variation in reproductive output, with temporal variability in weather cues and the strength of negative autocorrelations both influencing the coefficient of variation in seed output.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Xoaquin Moreira, Luis Abdala-Roberts
Summary: State of the art theory predicts weaker herbivore pressure on islands than on the mainland, leading to lower investment in plant defenses against herbivory. While early studies supported this prediction, recent research questions this paradigm, suggesting that islands may actually experience higher herbivory and plant defenses. Further research is needed to reassess predictions and investigate underlying mechanisms for observed patterns.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Raquel Martins-Noguerol, Luis Matias, Ignacio Manuel Perez-Ramos, Xoaquin Moreira, Sara Munoz-Valles, Juan Manuel Mancilla-Leyton, Marta Francisco, Alberto Garcia-Gonzalez, Cristina DeAndres-Gil, Enrique Martinez-Force, Maria del Carmen Millan-Linares, Justo Pedroche, Manuel Enrique Figueroa, Antonio Javier Moreno-Perez, Jesus Cambrolle
Summary: This study compared the nutritional profile of Crithmum maritimum in different habitats in southern Spain and under optimal growing conditions. The results showed that plants in field conditions had a nutritionally balanced composition with high phenolic content, regardless of the habitat variability. In contrast, plants under optimal conditions had higher protein and lipid content, lower sodium accumulation, but significantly decreased phenolic content.
JOURNAL OF FOOD COMPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Xoaquin Moreira, Bastien Castagneyrol, Carlos Garcia-Verdugo, Luis Abdala-Roberts
Summary: This study conducted a meta-analysis on herbivory and plant defences on islands. The results showed that mammalian herbivory was significantly higher on islands compared to mainlands, while invertebrate herbivory showed no significant difference. Additionally, there was no significant difference in plant physical or chemical defences between insular and mainland plants, although physical defences tended to be higher for islands plants.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Pieter Sanczuk, Sanne Govaert, Camille Meeussen, Karen De Pauw, Thomas Vanneste, Leen Depauw, Xoaquin Moreira, Jonas Schoelynck, Marthe De Boevre, Sarah De Saeger, Kurt Bollmann, Jorg Brunet, Sara A. O. Cousins, Jan Plue, Martin Diekmann, Bente J. Graae, Per-Ola Hedwall, Giovanni Iacopetti, Jonathan Lenoir, Anna Orczewska, Quentin Ponette, Federico Selvi, Fabien Spicher, Pieter Vermeir, Kim Calders, Hans Verbeeck, Kris Verheyen, Pieter Vangansbeke, Pieter De Frenne
Summary: In addition to macroclimatic conditions, subtle differences in forest microclimate and soil characteristics play a major role in modulating plant defense phenotypes. These findings highlight the importance of local habitat structure and environmental conditions in modulating plant resistance to herbivory.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)