Author: Functional Ecology

ecosystems ecology

Some soil microorganisms degrade dead leaves faster than others, and our study shows how this can happen

José M. Murúa & Aurora Gaxiola This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Leaf litter decomposition is a biological process in which other organisms chemically transform a percentage of a dead leaf into mineral nutrients. Studying the rate at which a given litter decomposes provides information about how much and how fast leaf nutrients and … Continue reading Some soil microorganisms degrade dead leaves faster than others, and our study shows how this can happen

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behavioural ecology

Hibernation timing in ground squirrels is shaped by predation risk, food availability, and reproductive opportunities

Austin Allison, Courtney Conway, Alice Morris This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Hibernation is usually assumed to be an adaptation allowing animals to survive weather extremes and food scarcity. But, some animals hibernate for long periods even when weather is suitable and food is abundant. This fact is perplexing because hibernation adversely affects vital … Continue reading Hibernation timing in ground squirrels is shaped by predation risk, food availability, and reproductive opportunities

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ecosystems ecology

Forests that keep fires small, and how they do it

Philip Zylstra, Grant Wardell-Johnson, Daniel Falster, Melissa Howe, Nathan McQuoid, Simon Neville This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. South-western Australia has long prided itself on its record of prescribed burning to reduce fuels, but a recent analysis of their records gave some surprising findings. Burning kept fire risk down for a few years, but, … Continue reading Forests that keep fires small, and how they do it

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community ecology

How will the smallest fishes respond to multiple big disturbances?

Helen F. Yan & David R. Bellwood This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Coral reefs around the world are constantly being impacted by multiple disturbances. For example, increasing ocean temperatures due to climate change are leading to mass coral bleaching events, while severe tropical storms, like cyclones, can instantly turn an entire reef into … Continue reading How will the smallest fishes respond to multiple big disturbances?

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plant-animal interaction

Spiny pollens from different species in the sunflower family reduce parasite infection in the common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens)

Laura L Figueroa, Alison Fowler, Stephanie Lopez, Victoria E Amaral, Hauke Koch, Philip C Stevenson, Rebecca E Irwin, Lynn S Adler This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. The importance of bees as pollinators is now widely acknowledged and we are increasingly aware of the numerous stressors that can negatively impact pollinator health. These include … Continue reading Spiny pollens from different species in the sunflower family reduce parasite infection in the common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens)

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community ecology

Biodiversity, climatic drivers, and ecological networks of glacier microbiomes varied across habitats at a global scale

Liyan Zhang, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Scott Hotaling, Yi Li, Xiangxin Sun, Yifei Xu, Haiyan Chu This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Glaciers cover approximately 10% of the Earth’s surface and are facing biodiversity loss due to intensive anthropogenic and natural forces. Current uncertainties about the bacteria of glaciers and their vulnerability to climatic factors are … Continue reading Biodiversity, climatic drivers, and ecological networks of glacier microbiomes varied across habitats at a global scale

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ecosystems ecology

Glyphosate in grassland ecosystems alters litter decomposition

Lucía Vivanco, María Victoria Sánchez, Magdalena Druille, Marina Omacini This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Plant litter decomposition, together with plant growth, is part of the yin and yang that balances life in natural ecosystems. Decomposition is carried out by a diversity of soil organisms that use plant litter for living. During this process, … Continue reading Glyphosate in grassland ecosystems alters litter decomposition

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Infection-Induced Phenotypes, Reviews, Special Features

Behavioural responses to parasites differ based on host social organization

Sebastian Stockmaier, Yuko Ulrich, Gregory F. Albery, Sylvia Cremer, Patricia C. Lopes This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology review article which can be found here. Like us, many animals are social. While social group living has many benefits, it increases the chances to acquire socially transmitted parasites and, hence, many animals have evolved behaviours to either avoid, resist, or tolerate infections … Continue reading Behavioural responses to parasites differ based on host social organization

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community ecology

Basic island biogeographic properties shape anthropogenic drivers of biodiversity in an archipelago ecosystem

Mingshan Xu, Anna Yang, Xiaodong Yang, Wenting Cao, Zengke Zhang, Zengyan Li, Yu Zhang, Huaguo Zhang, Wenhui You, En-Rong Yan, David A. Wardle This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Human driven factors such as land use and biological invasion are both major drivers of global biodiversity decline. Historically, island biogeography theory has focused solely … Continue reading Basic island biogeographic properties shape anthropogenic drivers of biodiversity in an archipelago ecosystem

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plant physiological ecology

Getting better with age: How old Siberian alder grows better in the warmer Alaskan Arctic

Jackson W. Drew, M. Syndonia Bret-Harte, Agata Buchwal, Calvin Heslop This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. The Arctic is rapidly warming, and in response shrubs are getting taller, greener, and more competitive relative to shorter plants across much of the Arctic. This response to warming may provide an important counterbalance to climate change by … Continue reading Getting better with age: How old Siberian alder grows better in the warmer Alaskan Arctic

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