Article
Environmental Sciences
Huanxin Zhang, Shiliang Wu, Eric M. Leibensperger
Summary: The study focuses on understanding the source-receptor relationships for mercury deposition in the context of global change using a global 3-D chemical transport model. It finds that under different emission scenarios, the relative contributions from anthropogenic emissions to total mercury deposition in different regions show significant changes, while impacts from changes in climate and land use/land cover are generally smaller in magnitudes but show stronger spatial variations.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sofiene Tlili, Catherine Mouneyrac
Summary: Marine ecotoxicology is facing new challenges due to complex synthetized chemicals, and there is a need to update methodologies. Long-term experiments, standardization of sentinel species, and omics technologies are key focuses for future research.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Carla J. Essenberg
Summary: This review discusses the diversity of ways in which floral signals can be linked with floral rewards within plant species, along with the constraints and selective pressures on these relationships. It also explores how information about floral rewards can influence pollinator behavior and potentially impact plant fitness. Opportunities abound for further research to address the considerable gaps in knowledge regarding the evolution of floral signal-reward relationships.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Yue Cao, Jiarui Xu, Stephen Lin, Fangyun Wei, Han Hu
Summary: The non-local network (NLNet) proposes a pioneering approach to capture long-range dependencies within an image by aggregating query-specific global context to query positions. However, empirical analysis reveals that the global contexts modeled by NLNet are almost the same for different query positions. In this paper, a simplified network called global context (GC) block is proposed based on a query-independent formulation, which maintains the accuracy of NLNet with significantly reduced computation.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PATTERN ANALYSIS AND MACHINE INTELLIGENCE
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Philipp Reiners, Jose Sobrino, Claudia Kuenzer
Summary: Satellite-derived Land Surface Temperature (LST) dynamics have been widely used for studying various geophysical processes in the context of global change. This review analyzes 164 articles from 14 international journals published in the last two decades, focusing on study location, research topic, used sensor system, and analysis methods. The results show that China and the USA are the most studied countries, and the Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) is the most prominent research topic. MODIS is the most commonly used sensor, while few studies analyze LST dynamics on a global or continental scale. Suggestions are made to improve the utilization of LST time series in climate research.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gaia Molinaro, Anne G. E. Collins
Summary: When observing the outcome of a choice, people are sensitive to the choice's context, such that the experienced value of an option depends on the alternatives. Traditionally, range adaptation has been proposed as the mechanism to explain this phenomenon in reinforcement learning tasks. However, the authors propose that internally defined goals also play a crucial role in shaping the subjective value attributed to any given option. Through multiple studies, they show that a new intrinsically enhanced reinforcement learning model can explain context-sensitive valuation better than range adaptation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. T. Dvorak, K. C. Armour, D. M. W. Frierson, C. Proistosescu, M. B. Baker, C. J. Smith
Summary: This study suggests that even with emissions halted, the Earth will continue to warm; we may already be on track to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming; and with decreasing greenhouse gas concentrations, the expected warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius may not occur until 2055.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Naven Narayanan, Allison K. Shaw
Summary: Mutualisms, or mutually beneficial interspecific interactions, play a crucial role in shaping population dynamics of species in ecological communities. This study investigates the impact of mutualistic dependence on the speed of range expansion and spatial distribution of species. The research findings highlight the importance of considering mutualisms and dependence in a spatial context for understanding species' distributions and range limits.
Article
Business, Finance
Chwee-Ming Tee, Wai-Yan Wong, Chee-Wooi Hooy
Summary: Drawing from recent studies, this study examines the reactions of global stock markets to sanctions at the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. Using event study methodology, the study finds that investors assign higher valuation to firms located in countries that impose sanctions on Russia, especially those politically connected or located in countries with lower geopolitical risks.
FINANCE RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Biology
S. Ramirez-Calero, J. R. Paula, E. Otjacques, T. Ravasi, R. Rosa, C. Schunter
Summary: In this study, the researchers evaluated the effects of future environmental conditions on the behavior and molecular mechanisms of mutualistic interactions between the cleaner wrasse and its clients. The results showed that elevated temperature and high CO2 conditions can disrupt the behavior of the fish and have different effects on their neuro-molecular mechanisms. Interestingly, no changes in behavior were observed under the combined conditions of warming and high CO2, but signs of endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis were found. This study highlights the potential impacts of impending environmental shifts on mutualistic interactions and coral reef ecosystems.
Article
Agronomy
Satu Ramula, Seyed Abdollah Mousavi, Aino Kalske
Summary: In this study, the relative effectiveness of different strains of rhizobia on the invasive legume Lupinus polyphyllus was examined. The results showed that the differences in nodulation and plant growth promotion among different strains of the genus Bradyrhizobium were more pronounced in the greenhouse than in the common garden.
Article
Biology
Andrew S. Maurer, Jeffrey A. Seminoff, Craig A. Layman, Seth P. Stapleton, Matthew H. Godfrey, Martha O. Burford Reiskind
Summary: Sea turtles serve as a model for understanding the potential impacts of climate change on imperiled species. Temperature plays a crucial role in determining sea turtle life-history traits, including sex ratios and embryo mortality. Understanding how temperature impacts cascade through the life history of sea turtles is essential for predicting population viability in the face of climate change.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Anna Katarzyna Andrzejewska
Summary: Contemporary spatial planning faces various challenges, including those arising from ongoing climate change. This paper examines the impact of climate change on urban spaces in Poland and evaluates the extent to which planning practice promotes adaptation. Through descriptive and comparative research, the study assesses the effectiveness of planning provisions in selected local spatial development plans in Poland.
Article
Microbiology
Diana L. Six, Kier D. Klepzig
Summary: Context dependency refers to shifts in biological interactions based on genetic, abiotic, and biotic context. Mutualism models often focus on the sliding scale of interaction outcomes as environmental conditions change, but fail to address mutualisms rooted in by-product benefits or lacking antagonistic alternate states. Bark beetle-fungus symbioses exemplify these unique mutualisms, with species co-constructing niches based on by-product benefits to thrive in otherwise challenging environments. These partnerships highlight the importance of understanding how environmental variability impacts mutualism strength, stability, and ecological roles.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Quang Vu Dinh, Quang-Van Doan, Thanh Ngo-Duc, Van Nguyen Dinh, Nguyen Dinh Duc
Summary: This study assesses the climatic impact of global warming on the local offshore wind potential in a tropical sea in Vietnam. The results show that there is a changing trend of offshore wind speed and power potential in Vietnam under different scenarios, with seasonal asymmetry.
Article
Plant Sciences
Leyre Pescador, Ivan Fernandez, Maria J. Pozo, Maria C. Romero-Puertas, Corne M. J. Pieterse, Ainhoa Martinez-Medina
Summary: Research shows that Trichoderma fungi's volatile compounds can trigger induced systemic resistance (ISR) in Arabidopsis, with nitric oxide (NO) playing a key role in regulating the expression of the MYB72 gene during this process. These findings suggest that root NO signaling plays a crucial role in the activation of ISR by Trichoderma VCs in Arabidopsis.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2022)
Review
Evolutionary Biology
Malin Klein, Justin D. Stewart, Stephanie S. Porter, James T. Weedon, E. Toby Kiers
Summary: The rhizosphere is a complex ecosystem where millions of microbial cells interact. It is important to consider both the evolution of the microbes themselves and the fact that the fitness of the plants and microbes may not align. A microbe-centric perspective helps us understand how microbes manipulate the phenotype of their hosts, and the indirect effects of rhizosphere microbes on plant fitness.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Yuzhu Wang, Yeling Zhou, Jiansheng Liang
Summary: This study provides a detailed characterization of stimulus-dependent cell type-specific organellar ABA responses in tobacco and Arabidopsis plants, supporting a highly coordinated regulatory network for mediating subcellular ABA homeostasis during plant adaptation processes.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Nidhi Rawat, Come M. J. Pieterse
CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Colin Averill, Mark A. Anthony, Petr Baldrian, Felix Finkbeiner, Johan van den Hoogen, Toby Kiers, Petr Kohout, Eliane Hirt, Gabriel Reuben Smith, Tom W. Crowther
Summary: Microbial life plays a crucial role in Earth's ecosystems, but its biodiversity is currently under threat. It is important to conserve and restore soil microbial life, particularly soil fungi, and actively incorporate microbial biodiversity into managed landscapes. Research shows that restoring native soil microbiomes can significantly increase plant biomass production. Enhancing microbial biodiversity in managed landscapes, such as agriculture and forestry, is an underappreciated opportunity to build reservoirs of microbial life across the planet.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Silvia Coolen, Marcel Van Dijen, Johan A. Van Pelt, Joop J. A. Van Loon, Corne M. J. Pieterse, Saskia C. M. Van Wees
Summary: Insect herbivores, especially specialist species, are difficult to ward off due to their adaptation to host plant defenses. This study identified WRKY42 and AOC1 as candidate genes associated with the oviposition preference in Pieris butterflies. Impairment in WRKY42 influenced the preference for oviposition, while AOC1 had a mild effect. However, the preference for impaired plants negatively impacted caterpillar performance. This knowledge can be applied in breeding strategies to develop trap crops or unattractive crops for pest insects.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Laura C. E. Campbell, E. Toby Kiers, Guillaume Chomicki
Summary: A recent discovery in Fiji shows that ants engage in plant cultivation primarily for shelter rather than food. This behavior has evolved independently at least 65 times for crops and 15 times in different ant species. Studying these systems offers insights into the evolution and ecology of insect agriculture.
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gilles Vismans, Sietske van Bentum, Jelle Spooren, Yang Song, Pim Goossens, Josep Valls, Basten L. Snoek, Benjamin Thiombiano, Mario Schilder, Lemeng Dong, Harro J. Bouwmeester, Pierre Petriacq, Corne M. J. Pieterse, Peter A. H. M. Bakker, Roeland L. Berendsen
Summary: Plants deposit carbon in the rhizosphere to create a favorable environment for microbes. Previous studies have shown that foliar infection can alter the composition of the rhizosphere microbiome. This study demonstrates that the Hpa-induced shift in the root microbiome can protect plants from downy mildew infection by activating the plant's systemic resistance. Coumarins play a prominent role in this process.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Heidi-Jayne Hawkins, Rachael I. M. Cargill, Michael E. Van Nuland, Stephen C. Hagen, Katie J. Field, Merlin Sheldrake, Nadejda A. Soudzilovskaia, E. Toby Kiers
Summary: Mycorrhizal fungi play a crucial role in the emergence and functioning of global ecosystems. However, their contribution to global carbon dynamics through transporting carbon into soil systems has been under-explored. Through analyzing nearly 200 datasets, we estimate that plant communities allocate a significant amount of carbon to mycorrhizal fungi each year, making an important contribution to the global carbon cycle. Our conservative estimations suggest that mycorrhizal associations should be included in climate models and conservation policies.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Corne M. J. Pieterse, Ioannis A. Stringlis
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biology
Thomas S. Shimizu, E. Toby Kiers, Howard A. Stone
Summary: A new mechanism for vein remodeling in vascular networks is proposed based on a combination of in toto imaging and theory.
Article
Microbiology
Hiroaki Fujita, Masayuki Ushio, Kenta Suzuki, Masato S. Abe, Masato Yamamichi, Yusuke Okazaki, Alberto Canarini, Ibuki Hayashi, Keitaro Fukushima, Shinji Fukuda, E. Toby Kiers, Hirokazu Toju
Summary: By analyzing the shotgun metagenomic sequencing data of an experimental microbial community, we discovered that the network structure of facilitative interactions in microbial ecosystems can change over time. By using metabolic modeling, we inferred the potential facilitative interaction networks at 13 time points during the 110-day monitoring of the microbiomes. We found that positive feedback loops, which can lead to ecological cascade breakdown, existed in the metabolic interaction networks before the drastic community compositional shift.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hiroaki Fujita, Masayuki Ushio, Kenta Suzuki, Masato S. Abe, Masato Yamamichi, Koji Iwayama, Alberto Canarini, Ibuki Hayashi, Keitaro Fukushima, Shinji Fukuda, E. Toby Kiers, Hirokazu Toju
Summary: Researchers combined theoretical frameworks and empirical analyses to predict microbiome dynamics. They found that abrupt changes in microbial communities could be forecasted by analyzing time-series data based on statistical physics and non-linear mechanics.
Article
Ecology
Charlie K. Cornwallis, Anouk van 't Padje, Jacintha Ellers, Malin Klein, Raphaella Jackson, E. Toby Kiers, Stuart A. West, Lee M. Henry
Summary: Insects have depended on symbiotic microbes for nutrition and defence for more than 300 million years. The evolution of symbioses and its impact on insect diversification under specific ecological conditions remain unclear. This study analyzed 1,850 microbe-insect symbioses across 402 insect families and found that symbionts allowed insects to specialize on nutrient-imbalanced diets, with B vitamins consistently associated with obligate symbiosis. The consequences of shifting to new diets with the help of symbionts varied, leading to species proliferation in some cases (e.g. herbivory) and severe diversification constraints in others (e.g. strict blood feeding).
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Forestry
J. Sobrino-Plata, C. Martinez-Arias, S. Ormeno-Moncalvillo, I Fernandez, C. Collada, L. Gil, C. M. J. Pieterse, J. A. Martin
Summary: In the study of Dutch elm disease resistance, it was found that the resistance is multifactorial with no common molecular response. The susceptible genotypes showed higher levels of oxidative damage and phenolic compounds after pathogen inoculation. Inoculation of the endophyte attenuated the plant molecular response induced by the pathogen.
