Article
Agronomy
Jiqiang Wu, Lijun Yan, Junming Zhao, Jinghan Peng, Yi Xiong, Yanli Xiong, Xiao Ma
Summary: Using a Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model, this study projected the current and future distribution of orchardgrass globally. The total area of current suitable habitats for orchardgrass was estimated to be 2133.01 X 10(4) km(2), with uneven distribution. As greenhouse gas emissions increase, suitable habitats are expected to increase in higher latitudes and decrease in lower latitudes. Efforts should be made to protect areas in the southern hemisphere and utilize northern America, China, and Europe for conservation and extensive farming in the future.
Review
Plant Sciences
Bailey H. McNichol, Sabrina E. Russo
Summary: Climate change is causing shifts in environmental conditions, which may lead to mismatches between plants and their habitats, resulting in range shifts and altered geographic ranges. A trade-off-based framework using functional traits can help predict whether plant species undergo such changes. This framework considers colonization ability and phenotype-environment matching, both influenced by ecological strategy and trade-offs. Severe mismatches lead to habitat filtering, impacting species' habitat ranges at small scales and determining range shifts at larger scales.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ruth Jaen-Molina, Aguedo Marrero-Rodriguez, Juli Caujape-Castells, Dario Ojeda
Summary: The research focuses on the relationships within the genus Lotus and the colonization patterns in the Macaronesian region. Lotus likely diverged about 7.86 Ma from its sister group, with colonization events in Macaronesia occurring more recently. The diversification in Macaronesia involved between four and six independent colonization events from sections distributed in Africa and Europe, with Gran Canaria and Tenerife being major sources of diversification.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Bruce G. Baldwin, Kenneth R. Wood, William A. Freyman
Summary: Expanded phylogenetic analyses of the Hawaiian silversword alliance revealed possible chloroplast capture events, and highlighted that diversification on Kaua'i has not decreased as the island has subsided and eroded.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Elroy Galbraith, P. R. Frade, Matteo Convertino
Summary: Metabolic scaling can help determine monitoring priorities for anomalous communities and guide local eco-engineering restoration to enhance ecosystem function. The study reveals a relationship between bacterioplankton interactions and population/community abundance, with an average exponent of 2/3, aligned with theoretical expectations. The allometric relationship varies by habitat and is better explained by community abundance spectrum and organization. The research emphasizes the importance of assessing community interactions to understand ecosystem states and their environmental determinants.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Amy K. Henry, Cascade J. B. Sorte
Summary: Climate change is causing a reshuffling of Earth's biota, with species shifting their ranges to track suitable conditions, potentially impacting existing communities upon arrival of novel species. Evaluating the consequences of range shifts in coastal marine ecosystems using an impact assessment protocol developed for invasive species can support decisions about management. Approximately 50% of shifting coastal species have been found to have negative impacts in their expanded ranges, highlighting the importance of proactive management as range shifts continue to accelerate.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Ester Dias, Morgane Dromby, Rita Ferreira, Agatha Gil, Raquel Tejerina, L. Filipe C. Castro, Massimiliano Rosso, Isabel Sousa-Pinto, Joel C. Hoffman, Maria A. Teodosio, Ana Dinis, Filipe Alves
Summary: The common bottlenose dolphin in oceanic habitats primarily feeds on pelagic fish and squids, with no significant dietary differences between adult males and females. Intraspecific variability in feeding behavior is observed, possibly influenced by seasonal changes. Further studies are needed to understand the factors behind this variability.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jiapeng Yang, Fuwei Zhang, Yajie Ge, Wenhui Yu, Qiqian Xue, Mengting Wang, Hongman Wang, Qingyun Xue, Wei Liu, Zhitao Niu, Xiaoyu Ding
Summary: By sequencing and comparing the chloroplast genomes of nine Bulbophyllum orchids, this study reveals the role of geographic isolation in the evolution of Bulbophyllum species and identifies differences in chloroplast genome structures between Asian and South American clades.
Article
Management
Andrea Contigiani, Marco Testoni
Summary: This study examines the impact of geographic isolation on innovation. Geographically isolated regions have limited access to remote knowledge and, thus, may be less effective in producing innovation. The effect of geographic isolation on innovation is moderated by frictions in the labor market, such as trade secrecy protection, that hinder access to local knowledge. The findings indicate that geographic isolation has a substantial negative impact on both the quantity and quality of innovation.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Zoe J. Kitchel, Hailey M. Conrad, Rebecca L. Selden, Malin L. Pinsky
Summary: Due to human-caused climate change, marine species are shifting deeper and poleward around the world. It is unclear whether these shifts will provide access to more, less, or equivalent amounts of continental shelf area and critical habitats. A study found that the proportion of seabed area at different depths decreased for 19% of examined large marine ecosystems (LMEs), but the majority had a higher proportion of shelf area in mid-depths or across several depth ranges. Comparing continental shelf area across latitude bands, all coastlines experienced expansions and contractions, which could affect the movement of marine species. Overall, the shelf habitat increased or remained unchanged towards the poles, except for the Southern West Pacific which experienced an overall loss of area with increasing latitude. Changes in continental shelf area availability across latitudes and depths could impact the number of species supported by local ecosystems.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Laura Jones, Georgina L. Brennan, Abigail Lowe, Simon Creer, Col R. Ford, Natasha de Vere
Summary: Jones et al. analyze honey samples from across the UK in 2017 and compare them to a nationwide survey of honey samples from 1952 to investigate changes in nectar and pollen sources over time. They find that shifts in major plants foraged by honeybees are influenced by the availability of these plants within the landscape, with a focus on improved grasslands as a widespread habitat type with potential for increasing floral resource availability.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Hannu Poysa, Antti Paasivaara
Summary: This study investigated how the distribution of breeding individuals and breeding success of waterbirds in Southeastern Finland changed along gradients in ice-out date and habitat structure. The research found significant differences in distribution and breeding success of different species along environmental gradients. The potentially positive impact of climate change on breeding phenology was outweighed by negative changes in habitat quality.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Rick D. Stuart-Smith, Camille Mellin, Amanda E. Bates, Graham J. Edgar
Summary: The study indicates that generalist fish species are more successful in responding to habitat disruption and climate change, and may increase generalization on a large scale. Changes in habitat structure have consistent impacts on the community structure of fish in coral and rocky reefs.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Timothy A. Dickinson, Brigitte Xueqi Yan, Shery Han, Mehdi Zarrei
Summary: By comparing biogeographic and morphological parameters of two agamic complexes of western North American hawthorns, it was found that apomictic taxa have wider ranges than sexually reproducing taxa, possibly due to reproductive assurance.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alana Alexander, Mark B. Robbins, Jesse Holmes, Robert G. Moyle, A. Townsend Peterson
Summary: Studies of the black-capped and Carolina chickadee hybrid zone show movement of the zone towards the northwest over the past 36-38 years, but at a slower rate compared to the eastern portion of the zone. Differences in temperature trends between the eastern and western areas may explain the slower movement of the hybrid zone in Missouri.
Article
Plant Sciences
Adrian C. Brennan, Simon J. Hiscock, Richard J. Abbott
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Edgar L. Y. Wong, Bruno Nevado, Owen G. Osborne, Alexander S. T. Papadopulos, Jon R. Bridle, Simon J. Hiscock, Dmitry A. Filatov
Review
Plant Sciences
Greg M. Walter, Richard J. Abbott, Adrian C. Brennan, Jon R. Bridle, Mark Chapman, James Clark, Dmitry Filatov, Bruno Nevado, Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos, Simon J. Hiscock
Article
Plant Sciences
Kamil E. Frankiewicz, Alexei Oskolski, Lukasz Banasiak, Francisco Fernandes, Jean-Pierre Reduron, Jorge-Alfredo Reyes-Betancort, Liliana Szczeparska, Mohammed Alsarraf, Jakub Baczynski, Krzysztof Spalik
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2020)
Article
Plant Sciences
Maria M. Romeiras, Mark Carine, Maria Cristina Duarte, Silvia Catarino, Filipe S. Dias, Luis Borda-de-Agua
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bruno Nevado, Stephen A. Harris, Mark A. Beaumont, Simon J. Hiscock
Article
Plant Sciences
Oliver W. White, J. Alfredo Reyes-Betancort, Mark A. Chapman, Mark A. Carine
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Nina Ronsted, Olwen M. Grace, Mark A. Carine
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Benedikt G. Kuhnhauser, Sidonie Bellot, Thomas L. P. Couvreur, John Dransfield, Andrew Henderson, Rowan Schley, Guillaume Chomicki, Wolf L. Eiserhardt, Simon J. Hiscock, William J. Baker
Summary: The subfamily Calamoideae, accounting for a significant portion of the palm family, has a wide distribution in tropical rainforests and supports a billion-dollar rattan industry. Research on the phylogenetic relationships within Calamoideae reveals complexity at lower taxonomic levels but provides new insights into palm evolution overall.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Mark Carine
Summary: This article reconstructs the spatio-temporal diversification and ecological niche evolution of Helianthemum (Cistaceae) in the Canary Islands using genotyping-by-sequencing data, providing insights into the evolutionary history of this plant species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Sandra Mesquita, Mark Carine, Cristina Castel-Branco, Miguel Menezes de Sequeira
Summary: Oceanic island floras are characterized by high levels of endemic diversity, rapid evolutionary radiations, and significant anthropogenic threats. Richard Thomas Lowe's systematic approach to documenting the flora of Madeira island in the North Atlantic, spanning almost half a century, stands out as a model for studying island floras. Lowe's sustained efforts contributed significantly to the understanding of Madeira's endemic flora and his approach remains relevant in current botanical research.
Book Review
History & Philosophy Of Science
E. Charles Nelson
ARCHIVES OF NATURAL HISTORY
(2021)
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
C. Giles Miller, Philippa Brewer, Mark Carine, Gill Comerford, Helen Hardy, Andrea Hart, Sarah Long, Benjamin W. Price, Caroline L. Smith, David A. Smith, Mel Smith, Lil Stevens, Katie Thompson, Clare Valentine, Sarah Vincent, Scott Wilson, Matt Woodburn
Summary: This study introduces a collections assessment project at the Natural History Museum, London, and presents the specific content and methodology of the assessment. Through this project, the museum successfully recorded the expertise of its curatorial staff and produced the first comprehensive assessment report of its collection. The study also discusses future developments in the assessment methodology.
MUSEUM MANAGEMENT AND CURATORSHIP
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Lea Mouton, Jairo Patino, Mark Carine, Fred Rumsey, Miguel Menezes de Sequeira, Juana Maria Gonzalez-Mancebo, Rosalina Maria de Almeida Gabriel, Olivier J. Hardy, Manuela Sim-Sim, J. Alfredo Reyes-Betancort, Flavien Collart, Alain Vanderpoorten
Summary: This study examined the influence of spatial, historical, and ecological processes on diversity patterns in island biogeography. The analysis revealed that species turnover increased with geographic scale, while nestedness remained relatively constant. Additionally, it was found that bryophytes and pteridophytes exhibited lower species turnover and higher nestedness compared to spermatophytes, suggesting differences in dispersal capacities and distribution ranges among land plants.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)