Category: evolutionary ecology

evolutionary ecology

Can multiple mating help spider mites recover their fertility after exposure to high temperatures?

Sofia G Costa, Sara Magalhães, Leonor R Rodrigues This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Organisms are negatively affected by extreme temperatures, which suggests that climate warming poses a severe threat to biodiversity. Recently, it has become clear that reproductive traits are often more sensitive to high temperatures than other traits, such as those related … Continue reading Can multiple mating help spider mites recover their fertility after exposure to high temperatures?

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
evolutionary ecology

The globally invasive Spartina alterniflora changed its trait covariances when travelling from its native to invasive range

Xincong Chen, Wenwen Liu, Yuan-Ye Zhang, Yihui Zhang This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Human activities can sometimes cause species to be moved beyond their natural ranges to other parts of the world. Some invasive species may have negative impacts on the economy and environment of their new home. Exotic species that are introduced … Continue reading The globally invasive Spartina alterniflora changed its trait covariances when travelling from its native to invasive range

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
evolutionary ecology

How lizards hold on for dear life during hurricanes

Emma C. C. DiPaolo and Jason J. Kolbe This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Hurricane activity is increasing due to climate change. Extreme weather events like hurricanes can be devastating for natural populations, causing widespread mortality and population extinctions. Hurricanes can also be a source of natural selection, favoring traits that help organisms survive … Continue reading How lizards hold on for dear life during hurricanes

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
evolutionary ecology

Sexual selection might play an important role in adaptation to increased temperatures and extreme climate events

Maria Moiron, Lennart Winkler, Oliver Yves Martin, Tim Janicke This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Anthropogenic climate change is not only causing increased temperatures worldwide, but also an increased number of extreme climatic events such as heatwaves, cold spells, tropical cyclones and severe droughts. Understanding the effects that this rise in temperatures and heatwaves … Continue reading Sexual selection might play an important role in adaptation to increased temperatures and extreme climate events

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
evolutionary ecology

Evolution of predatory behavior of an aquatic insect during its range expansion (+ Traducción Española!)

José Antonio Carbonell, Ying-Jie Wang, Arnaud Sentis, Robby Stoks This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Many species are shifting their distributions polewards in response to climate change. This has been associated with the evolution of ecological and life history traits and their thermal plasticity, which eventually may shape trophic interactions and thereby the success … Continue reading Evolution of predatory behavior of an aquatic insect during its range expansion (+ Traducción Española!)

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
evolutionary ecology

Closely related tropical herbs have similar tolerance to high temperatures

Georgia G. Hernández, Timothy M. Perez, Oscar M. Vargas, W. John Kress, Ramón Molina-Bravo, Roberto A. Cordero, Jeffrey R. Seemann, Carlos García-Robledo This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. The tropics are known for their stable temperatures throughout the year. However, temperatures greatly vary among the vast mosaic of habitats within the tropics. It is … Continue reading Closely related tropical herbs have similar tolerance to high temperatures

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
evolutionary ecology

Parental care behaviors shifted from parents to offspring in social insects

Thomas Chouvenc This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Parental care behaviors represent an important selective force in animals as they lead to improved offspring survival. Parental care encompasses a spectrum of strategies from simple nest defense behaviors, or minimal resource provisioning, to elaborate brood care and expensive parental investment. In fact, the evolution of … Continue reading Parental care behaviors shifted from parents to offspring in social insects

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
evolutionary ecology

Rapid changes in soil bacteria

Caylon Yates, Ryan V. Trexler, Idalys Bonet, William L. King, Kevin L. Hockett, Terrence H. Bell This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Introducing microorganisms to soil systems to enhance soil processes such as nitrogen fixation has long been of interest; however, this approach remains limited by poor establishment of introduced microorganisms. Historical adaptation to … Continue reading Rapid changes in soil bacteria

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
evolutionary ecology

How red-flowered species in the Mediterranean Basin lure (almost) red-blind pollinators

Melissa León-Osper, Eduardo Narbona This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Plants show a variety of flower traits such as colour, scent, shape, and size to attract pollinators. In particular, the colour acts as a lure for pollinators, facilitating flower detectability and plant reproduction. In this study, we focus on red-flowered species from the Mediterranean … Continue reading How red-flowered species in the Mediterranean Basin lure (almost) red-blind pollinators

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
evolutionary ecology

Effect of water availability on volatile-mediated communication between potato plants in response to insect herbivory

Carla Vázquez-González, Laura Pombo-Salinas, Lucía Martín-Cacheda, Sergio Rasmann, Gregory Röder, Luis Abdala-Roberts, Kailen A. Mooney, Xoaquín Moreira This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Plants can perceive and respond to complex blends of above- or belowground volatile organic compounds (‘VOCs’) emitted by herbivore-damaged neighbours, a phenomenon termed ‘plant communication’. Such chemical cues act as warning … Continue reading Effect of water availability on volatile-mediated communication between potato plants in response to insect herbivory

Functional EcologyLeave a comment