Article
Biology
Russell K. Engelman
Summary: This study finds that the occipital condyle width (OCW) can accurately estimate the body mass of mammals, especially species with relatively large heads. Compared to traditional measurement metrics, OCW has higher model accuracy and can be used without close living analogues, providing a reliable method for estimating body mass in previously problematic groups.
Review
Agronomy
Sarana Rose Sommano, Ratchuporn Suksathan, Thanarat Sombat, Pimjai Seehanam, Sasithorn Sirilun, Warintorn Ruksiriwanich, Sutee Wangtueai, Noppol Leksawasdi
Summary: Medicinal mushrooms, including those containing psilocybin, have diverse chemical constituents and therapeutic potential. They are used for treating addiction, depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. However, there is a lack of comprehensive documentation on the agronomic aspects and biotechnology approaches for producing active ingredients from these mushrooms.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Huili Li, Yang Tian, Nelson Menolli Jr, Lei Ye, Samantha C. Karunarathna, Jesus Perez-Moreno, Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman, Md Harunur Rashid, Pheng Phengsintham, Leela Rizal, Taiga Kasuya, Young Woon Lim, Arun Kumar Dutta, Abdul Nasir Khalid, Le Thanh Huyen, Marilen Parungao Balolong, Gautam Baruah, Sumedha Madawala, Naritsada Thongklang, Kevin D. Hyde, Paul M. Kirk, Jianchu Xu, Jun Sheng, Eric Boa, Peter E. Mortimer
Summary: Wild mushrooms are important for many poor communities as a source of income and nutrition, and valuable for recreational foragers; continued research is expanding knowledge on the edibility of mushroom species to address confusion and concerns; there are numerous case reports on edible mushrooms, but uncertainties persist regarding safe consumption of different species and the need for further clarity is highlighted.
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND FOOD SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhi Lin, Xinyi Xu, Minwei Xie, Rong Chen, Qiao-Guo Tan
Summary: The study developed a double stable isotope method to simultaneously measure metal uptake and elimination in individual organisms, revealing size-dependent effects on cadmium concentrations in marine mussels. The method extends the applicability of stable isotope techniques for investigating problems related to metal bioaccumulation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Nicholas C. Wu, Mohd Uzair Rusli, Annette C. Broderick, Diego R. Barneche
Summary: The body size of marine megafauna can influence population dynamics, with larger females having disproportionately greater reproductive output. However, there is no strong correlation between the proportion of protected nesting sites and female size. Using a hyperallometric relationship at the individual level provides more accurate predictions of population-level yearly reproductive output.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Russell Engelman
Summary: Currently accepted length estimates for Dunkleosteus based on allometric relationships with extant large-bodied sharks are not reliable. Arthrodires have proportionally larger mouths than sharks, and the use of upper jaw perimeter and mouth width to predict body size leads to significant overestimation. The disproportionately large mouths of arthrodires suggest different paleobiology and paleoecology compared to macropredatory sharks.
Article
Biology
Jessica L. Tingle, Brian M. Sherman, Theodore Garland
Summary: This study examines the locomotor kinematics and morphology of sidewinder rattlesnakes. It finds that the movement of sidewinders differs significantly from limbed animals and that larger individuals are not necessarily faster. Sidewinders lift sections of their body while others maintain ground contact during locomotion. The frequency, wavelength, and amplitude of the body wave impact speed. The study suggests that increasing frequency may be the best way to increase speed for sidewinding snakes.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Zachary Emberts, Ummat Somjee, John J. Wiens
Summary: Allometry refers to the scaling relationship between a trait and body size, which can explain morphological variation within and among species. In a study of giant mesquite bugs, it was found that large males with large weapons successfully secured mates, while small males with small weapons could also access mates. These two patterns together contribute to the evolution of the allometric slope of the sexually selected weapon.
Article
Ecology
Steven Ni, Daniela de Angeli Dutra
Summary: Harrison's rule states that the size of parasites is positively correlated with the size of their hosts, and this rule has been confirmed in sequentially hermaphroditic isopods parasitic on fish. Additionally, the size difference between parasites and hosts is also positively correlated, but there are differences between sexes.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
S. L. Lindstedt
Summary: The body masses of extant mammals vary greatly, leading to size-dependent constraints on form and function. Comparative Physiology is a valuable tool for discovering hidden biological insights. Oxygen diffusion is significantly impacted by body size.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Inessa Voet, Christiane Denys, Marc Colyn, Aude Lalis, Adam Konecny, Arnaud Delapre, Violaine Nicolas, Raphael Cornette
Summary: This study focused on the Crocidura poensis species complex and examined the effects of taxonomy, size, geography, climate, and habitat on skull morphology. It found that taxonomy was the best predictor of skull size and shape, with allometry representing a significant source of morphological variability within the complex of species. The results support a parapatric speciation model where divergence occurred along an ecological gradient rather than a geographic barrier.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Borja Figueirido, Alberto Martin-Serra, Alejandro Perez-Ramos, David Velasco, Francisco J. Pastor, Roger J. Benson
Summary: The research found that lumbar and posterior thoracic vertebrae exhibit high individual disparity but low serial differentiation, while more anterior vertebrae show constrained patterns of evolution. The thoracolumbar region is considered as a key innovation enabling evolutionary versatility of mammalian locomotion.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Anthropology
Maria C. Fox, Lyle W. Konigsberg, Elizabeth T. Hsiao-Wecksler, Katherine K. Whitcome, John D. Polk
Summary: The study found isometric scaling of the upper arm, thigh, and shoulder, positive allometry of the forearm and shank, and negative allometry of the pelvis in the pooled sample using both statistical methods. The scaling patterns were similar between methods but differed in magnitude, and sex-specific results differed in both pattern and magnitude between log-log regression and PCA.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Felix P. Leiva, Jeroen G. J. Boerrigter, Wilco C. E. P. Verberk
Summary: The size of an animal's body is closely related to its key ecological traits, such as fecundity, mortality, and growth. Ectothermic animals mature at smaller body sizes in warmer conditions and low oxygen availability (hypoxia). It is poorly understood whether these responses are due to changes in cell size and cell number, and how these cellular responses help ectotherms cope with heat and hypoxia.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Douglas S. Glazier
Summary: Many biological traits are strongly related to body size, with size-scaling relationships traditionally quantified using log-transformed data. While some argue for linear or non-linear regression with untransformed data, the use of logarithms in scaling analyses presents valuable advantages, allowing for meaningful comparisons of organisms of different sizes and revealing discontinuities in scale invariance that are not shown by arithmetic analyses. Log-transformation advances our understanding of biological scaling conceptually, not just statistically.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gabriel Reuben Smith, Lucy C. Edy, Kabir G. Peay
Summary: Wildfires affect the biogeochemistry of the planet by burning biomass and driving changes in ecological communities and landcover. Different ecosystems may host unique, fire-resistant fungal communities, leading to divergent responses to fire.
Article
Ecology
Adam F. A. Pellegrini, Tyler Refsland, Colin Averill, Cesar Terrer, A. Carla Staver, Dale G. Brockway, Anthony Caprio, Wayne Clatterbuck, Corli Coetsee, James D. Haywood, Sarah E. Hobbie, William A. Hoffmann, John Kush, Tom Lewis, W. Keith Moser, Steven T. Overby, William A. Patterson, Kabir G. Peay, Peter B. Reich, Casey Ryan, Mary Anne S. Sayer, Bryant C. Scharenbroch, Tania Schoennagel, Gabriel Reuben Smith, Kirsten Stephan, Chris Swanston, Monica G. Turner, J. Morgan Varner, Robert B. Jackson
Summary: This study examines the impacts of changes in fire frequency on tree communities in 29 different sites, revealing that repeated burning generally reduces stem density and basal area. The most pronounced effects are observed in savanna ecosystems and sites with strong wet or dry seasons.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Gabriel Reuben Smith, Kabir G. Peay
Summary: Decomposition of wood is more influenced by variation in fungal communities than by climate, with diverse fungal communities leading to slower decomposition rates. There are multiple links between microbes and ecosystem function across different spatial scales, with dispersal-driven stochasticity in small-scale community assembly being nested within large-scale turnover in the regional species pool.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
R. K. Braghiere, J. B. Fisher, R. A. Fisher, M. Shi, B. S. Steidinger, B. N. Sulman, N. A. Soudzilovskaia, X. Yang, J. Liang, K. G. Peay, T. W. Crowther, R. P. Phillips
Summary: The study found that the distribution of mycorrhizal fungi has a significant impact on global carbon and nutrient cycling. As soil nitrogen becomes more limited, the costs for plants to acquire nitrogen through mycorrhizae have increased at a faster rate, suggesting that nutrient acquisition will increasingly rely on a higher portion of assimilated carbon to support productivity.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Letter
Plant Sciences
Sonya R. Erlandson, Rogerio Margis, Andrea Ramirez, Nhu Nguyen, Lotus A. Lofgren, Hui-Ling Liao, Rytas Vilgalys, Peter G. Kennedy, Kabir G. Peay
Article
Plant Sciences
Laura M. Bogar, Oceana S. Tavasieff, Ted K. Raab, Kabir G. Peay
Summary: The exchange of ectomycorrhizal resources depends on competitive and nutritional context, with plants able to exchange carbon for fungal nitrogen depending on the fungal species and soil nitrogen levels. Understanding the diversity of fungal strategies and how they change with environmental context reveals mechanisms driving this important symbiosis.
Article
Ecology
R. Max Segnitz, Sabrina E. Russo, Kabir G. Peay
Summary: Seedling recruitment can be influenced by the composition of nearby plant species. Adult conspecifics can modify soil chemistry and the presence of host microbes, while seedling density can affect resource competition. The study found that recruitment neighborhood and seedling density influenced the growth and survival of the dominant tree species Dryobalanops aromatica.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Juhyung Lee, Maria Cristina Gambi, Kristy J. Kroeker, Marco Munari, Kabir Peay, Fiorenza Micheli
Summary: This study examines the impact of ocean acidification on seagrass decomposition in a naturally acidified seagrass ecosystem. The results show that acidification reduces the richness and diversity of seagrass detritivores, but increases the abundance of dominant detritivores. These changes lead to a more than threefold increase in detritivore abundance in lower pH zones, and acidification accelerates the decomposition of seagrass detritus. The findings suggest that ocean acidification can restructure consumer assemblages and modify plant decomposition in blue carbon ecosystems, with implications for carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling, and trophic transfer.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Michael E. E. Van Nuland, Po-Ju Ke, Joe Wan, Kabir G. G. Peay
Summary: Mycorrhizal fungi with different nutrient acquisition strategies influence plant species performance and physiology, thereby defining their trophic niche. This study tests how variation in mycorrhizal strategies and nutrient conditions affects plant competitive outcomes.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Letter
Plant Sciences
Hagai Shemesh, Thomas D. Bruns, Kabir G. Peay, Peter G. Kennedy, Nhu H. Nguyen
Article
Ecology
Gabriel Reuben Smith, Kabir G. Peay
Summary: Self-reinforcing differences in fire frequency allow closed-canopy forests and open woodlands to co-occur stably. Fire affects the availability of symbionts and the potential for symbiont sharing between trees and woodland vegetation. In a soil bioassay experiment, fire and ecosystem type were found to significantly influence fungal root community assembly, and neighboring heterospecific seedlings also played a role in fungal colonization.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Andressa M. Venturini, Julia B. Gontijo, Jessica A. Mandro, Erika Berenguer, Kabir G. Peay, Siu M. Tsai, Brendan J. M. Bohannan
Summary: Soil microorganisms in the Amazon play a crucial role in indicating land-use and climate change, including greenhouse gas production. However, they have been overlooked in conservation and management initiatives, and therefore there is a need to integrate soil biodiversity with other disciplines and expand sampling efforts and targeted microbial groups.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Louis Berrios, Jay Yeam, Lindsey Holm, Wallis Robinson, Peter T. Pellitier, Mei Lin Chin, Terry W. Henkel, Kabir G. Peay
Summary: Bacteria, ectomycorrhizal fungi, and land plants have coevolved for nearly 200 million years, but the nature of their interactions across landscapes and within individual plant hosts remains unclear. This study investigates the impact of select bacterial taxa on the abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi and identifies common mechanisms that facilitate multipartite symbioses.
Article
Ecology
Cong Wang, Gabriel Reuben Smith, Cheng Gao, Kabir G. Peay
Summary: Although microbes play a major role in wood decomposition, it is not clear how microbial community dynamics affect this process. This study investigates the impact of stochastic variation in community assembly on wood decomposition rates. The researchers manipulated microbial dispersal into laboratory microcosms and found that it significantly affected microbial community composition, biogeochemical cycles, and wood decomposition. The results suggest that dispersal plays a crucial role in structuring soil microbial community and its ecosystem functions.
ISME COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Devin R. Leopold, Kabir G. Peay, Peter M. Vitousek, Tadashi Fukami
Summary: The study found that with increasing soil age, fungal diversity increases, largely influenced by ericoid mycorrhizal fungi. Fertilization with nitrogen and phosphorus had different effects on fungal diversity.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Edith C. Hammer, Carlos Arellano-Caicedo, Paola Micaela Mafla-Endara, E. Toby Kiers, Tom Shimizu, Pelle Ohlsson, Kristin Aleklett
Summary: This study used microfluidic chips to investigate foraging strategies and habitat modification of Rhizophagus irregularis symbiotically associated with carrot roots. The researchers found that AMF hyphae can forage over long distances, prefer straight passages, and show branching induction when encountering obstacles. They also observed bi-directional transport of cellular content inside the hyphae and strategic allocation of biomass within the mycelium. Additionally, the AMF hyphae modified the pore-spaces in the chips by clogging them with irregularly shaped spores. These findings have important implications for understanding the impact of AMF on water retention in soils.
