Category: plant-animal interaction

plant-animal interaction

Large carnivores can alter the behaviour and seed-dispersal patterns of medium-sized frugivores in a rewilding context

Tamara Burgos, Gema Escribano-Ávila, Jose María Fedriani, Juan P. González-Varo, Juan Carlos Illera, Inmaculada Cancio, Javier Hernández-Hernández, Emilio Virgós This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. The current global change scenario places humans at the epicentre of multiple ecological impacts, contributing to alteration of ecosystem functioning and the structure of food chains through cascading effects. … Continue reading Large carnivores can alter the behaviour and seed-dispersal patterns of medium-sized frugivores in a rewilding context

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
plant-animal interaction

Adding shed insect skins to agricultural soil enhances attraction of natural enemies of aboveground pest insects to crop plants

Els M. van de Zande, Lina Ojeda-Prieto, Andreas Markou, Julia van Leemput, Joop J.A. van Loon, Marcel Dicke This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Plants emit specific odour blends composed of various volatile compounds. The blend composition is affected by environmental circumstances. When a plant is damaged by an insect herbivore, the blend changes, … Continue reading Adding shed insect skins to agricultural soil enhances attraction of natural enemies of aboveground pest insects to crop plants

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
plant-animal interaction

An inconsistent relationship between mouse traits and acorn dispersal

Paulina Celebias, Aleksandra Wróbel, Milena Zduniak, Michael Steele, Michał Bogdziewicz, Rafał Zwolak This is a plain language summary of Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Plants often depend on animals to spread their seeds, and the unique traits of each animal can greatly affect how well plants reproduce. We studied how certain traits (like being male or female, body mass, and the … Continue reading An inconsistent relationship between mouse traits and acorn dispersal

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
plant-animal interaction

Ribwort plantain is well protected against possible attackers even far away from home

Pamela Medina-van Berkum, Eric Schmöckel, Armin Bischoff, Natalia Carrasco-Farias, Jane A. Catford, Reinart Feldmann, Karin Groten, Hugh A. L. Henry, Anna Bucharova, Sabine Hänniger, Justin C. Luong, Julia Meis, Vincensius S.P. Oetama, Meelis Pärtel, Sally A. Power, Jesus Villellas, Erik Welk, Astrid Wingler, Beate Rothe, Jonathan Gershenzon, Michael Reichelt, Christiane Roscher, Sybille B. Unsicker This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research … Continue reading Ribwort plantain is well protected against possible attackers even far away from home

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
plant-animal interaction

Life sprouts from death: when mammal carcasses are the perfect nursery for seedlings.

Mie P. Arnberg, Amy E. Eycott, Sam M. J. G. Steyaert This is a plain language summary for a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. In the wild, when animals die, scavengers often consume the carcass. While eating, scavengers leave behind droppings, which sometimes contain seeds as they eat both carcass and plant material. At the same time, carcasses can kill off … Continue reading Life sprouts from death: when mammal carcasses are the perfect nursery for seedlings.

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
plant-animal interaction

Microbe-induced plant resistance against insect pests depends on timing of inoculation, but is consistent across climatic conditions

Oriana Sanchez-Mahecha, Sophia Klink, Michael Rothballer, Sarah Sturm, Wolfgang W. Weisser, Sharon Zytynska, Robin Heinen This is a plain language summary for a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Agricultural land use puts tremendous pressure on natural ecosystems, by reducing habitat, and via the ecological side effects of various agricultural inputs, including synthetic fertilizer and pesticides, which help farmers increase crop productivity, … Continue reading Microbe-induced plant resistance against insect pests depends on timing of inoculation, but is consistent across climatic conditions

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
plant-animal interaction

The decline of long-tongued pollinators causes a community-wide mismatch between flower and pollinator morphology.

Masayoshi K. Hiraiwa, Atushi Ushimaru This is a plain language summary for a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Under human impacts, long-tongued pollinators, such as bumblebees and butterflies, have been declining worldwide in recent years, potentially causing concern for pollination services for plants, particularly for their partner plants with long corolla tubes. To date, the effects of loss of long-tongued pollinators … Continue reading The decline of long-tongued pollinators causes a community-wide mismatch between flower and pollinator morphology.

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
plant-animal interaction

Seed-dispersing ants alter seed coat fungal communities

Chloe L. Lash, Melissa A. Cregger, Anne M. Kinkopf, Nicole Buerger, Dawn M. Klingeman, and Charles Kwit This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here.   Ants plant seeds in the forest. This relationship is known as myrmecochory or ant seed dispersal. In this relationship, ants are attracted to certain seeds because of an edible part of … Continue reading Seed-dispersing ants alter seed coat fungal communities

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
plant-animal interaction

The role of bee body size variation and sociality in their interactions with plants

Guadalupe Peralta, Julian Resasco, Sydney Worthy, Carol M. Frost, Angie T. Guevara, Isabella Manning, Luciano Cagnolo, Laura A. Burkle This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here.   Species morphology and behaviour influence plant-pollinator interactions. However, individuals within species are not identical in their traits and this diversity could also play a role in their interactions. Despite … Continue reading The role of bee body size variation and sociality in their interactions with plants

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
plant-animal interaction

Urbanization and agricultural intensification affect plant-pollinator coextinctions by altering interaction structure

Willem Proesmans, Emeline Felten, Emilien Laurent, Matthias Albrecht, Nathan Cyrille, Audrey Labonté, Corina Maurer, Robert Paxton, Oliver Schweiger, Hajnalka Szentgyörgyi, Adam J. Vanbergen This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here.   Insect pollinators visit flowers for nectar and pollen foods, with each species preferring a different subset of plant species. This assemblage of flower visits can … Continue reading Urbanization and agricultural intensification affect plant-pollinator coextinctions by altering interaction structure

Functional EcologyLeave a comment