community ecology

A neighborhood’s identity has a greater impact on grassland productivity than species and phylogenetic diversity

Changjin Cheng, Nianpeng He*, Mingxu Li, Li Xu, Osbert Jianxin Sun* This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. It is thought that plant diversity-productivity relationships (BPRs) provide valuable information to inform the conservation and management of natural ecosystems; however, the variable nature of these relationships often lead to complications and issues. Some studies attribute this … Continue reading A neighborhood’s identity has a greater impact on grassland productivity than species and phylogenetic diversity

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animal physiological ecology

Warming undermines emergence success in a threatened alpine stonefly: A multi-trait perspective on vulnerability to climate change

Alisha A. Shah, Scott Hotaling, Anthony B. Lapsansky, Rachel L. Malison, Jackson H. Birrell, Tylor Keeley, J. Joseph Giersch, Lusha M. Tronstad, H. Arthur Woods This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. In high mountain regions worldwide, climate change is causing rapid recession of glaciers. Downstream, these changes are altering patterns of water flow and … Continue reading Warming undermines emergence success in a threatened alpine stonefly: A multi-trait perspective on vulnerability to climate change

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community ecology

Functional strategies of species determine the way seedling and adult plants distribute at very fine spatial scales

Ana L. Peralta, Adrián Escudero, Marcelino de la Cruz, Ana M. Sánchez, Arantzazu L. Luzuriaga This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. We know that the establishment of plants in the field greatly depends on environmental conditions, i.e., the weather can determine seed germination and if seedlings will succeed and persist to be adults. The … Continue reading Functional strategies of species determine the way seedling and adult plants distribute at very fine spatial scales

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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?

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ecosystems ecology

Shoots of young cordgrass plants prefer some personal space

Clea N. van de Ven, Valérie C. Reijers, Carlijn Lammers, Jim van Belzen, Yeyeong Chung, Tjeerd J. Bouma, Tjisse van der Heide This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Coastal vegetated landscapes such as dunes, seagrass meadows, and salt marshes are shaped by clonal grasses that improve their own growing conditions by capturing and stabilizing … Continue reading Shoots of young cordgrass plants prefer some personal space

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ecosystems ecology

When the past determines the future: Do soil temperature histories affect microbial responses to freeze-thaw cycles?

Melissa A. Pastore, Aimée T. Classen, Marie E. English, Serita D. Frey, Melissa A. Knorr, Karin Rand, E. Carol Adair This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. In temperate regions, climate change is decreasing snow cover, a blanket that helps to insulate soils. With less snow cover, soils are projected to undergo more frequent cycles … Continue reading When the past determines the future: Do soil temperature histories affect microbial responses to freeze-thaw cycles?

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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

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ecosystems ecology

Soil microbial C and P limitation varied with seasons and elevations

Dandan Zhang, Baoyun Wu, Jinsheng Li, Xiaoli Cheng This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Soil microbes secrete carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorous (P) enzymes, which play an important role in soil organic matter (SOM) transformation and decomposition. While soil enzyme activities and their respective ratios reflect changes in soil microbial nutrient requirements and … Continue reading Soil microbial C and P limitation varied with seasons and elevations

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plant-animal interaction

First attempt to estimate the size of seeds and fruits that extinct mammal species were able to ingest and potentially disperse

Elise Sivault, Kim R. McConkey, François Bretagnolle, Asmita Sengupta, Joanna Lambert, Eckhard W. Heymann, Anthony Herrel, Pierre-Michel Forget This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Many trees depend on mammals for seed dispersal, especially in the tropics. Indeed, mammals can consume many fruits and ingest many seeds that can be found, sometimes, perfectly intact in … Continue reading First attempt to estimate the size of seeds and fruits that extinct mammal species were able to ingest and potentially disperse

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plant physiological ecology

Growth and water-use traits of grasses in Australia are coordinated

Robert J. Griffin-Nolan, Jeff Chieppa, Alan K. Knapp, Uffe N. Nielsen, and David T. Tissue This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Grasses are an ecologically, economically, and culturally important group of plants. They provide us with food and building materials, store carbon belowground, and are the dominant plant growth form of grassland ecosystems. As … Continue reading Growth and water-use traits of grasses in Australia are coordinated

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