Tag: community

community ecology

Heatwave-mediated decreases in phytoplankton quality negatively affect zooplankton productivity

Jihyun Olivia Kim, Alexandra Dimitriou, Ian Forster, Ian Forster This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Phytoplankton in lakes and oceans produce vast quantities of key elements and nutrients. These products are necessary for the proper growth and development of a range of animals, including zooplankton, fish, and humans. We know from studies conducted on … Continue reading Heatwave-mediated decreases in phytoplankton quality negatively affect zooplankton productivity

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community ecology

How many species are required to maintain biomass productivity in a coastal macroalgae ecosystem?

James G. Hagan This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology article which can be found here. If a species goes extinct at one site, will a species from a nearby site be able to colonise and replace the ecosystem functions that were previously provided by the now extinct species? Phrased differently, can some species compensate for other species if they go extinct … Continue reading How many species are required to maintain biomass productivity in a coastal macroalgae ecosystem?

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community ecology

Drought resistance and recovery of community traits in semiarid grasslands

Wentao Luo, Robert J. Griffin-Nolan, Lin Song, Niwu Te, Jiaqi Chen, Yuan Shi, Taofeek O. Muraina, Zhengwen Wang, Melinda D. Smith, Qiang Yu, Alan K. Knapp, Xingguo Han, Scott L. Collins This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Global climate change is expected to increase rainfall variability, potentially increasing the frequency of extreme droughts during … Continue reading Drought resistance and recovery of community traits in semiarid grasslands

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community ecology

Widespread variation in functional trait-vital rate relationships in tropical tree seedlings across a precipitation and soil phosphorus gradient

Luke Browne, Lars Markesteijn, Eric Manzané-Pinzón, S. Joseph Wright, Robert Bagchi, Bettina M. J. Engelbrecht, F. Andrew Jones, Liza S. Comita This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Imagine there was a way to quickly and easily measure the basic characteristics of a plant, like the size of its leaves or the density of its … Continue reading Widespread variation in functional trait-vital rate relationships in tropical tree seedlings across a precipitation and soil phosphorus gradient

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community ecology

Changing plant species composition and richness benefit soil carbon sequestration under climate warming

Yingjie Yan, Shuli Niu, Yicheng He, Song Wang, Lei Song, Jinlong Peng, Xinli Chen, Quan Quan, Cheng Meng, Qingping Zhou, Jinsong Wang This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Soils store the majority of the Earth’s terrestrial ecosystem carbon (C), which is approximately three times larger than the amount of C in the atmosphere. Thus, … Continue reading Changing plant species composition and richness benefit soil carbon sequestration under climate warming

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community ecology

Predators have a strong negative effect on decomposition

Alice Walker, Mark Robertson, Paul Eggleton, Katherine Bunney, Candice Lamb, Adam Fisher, Catherine Parr This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Decomposition is the process of dead animal or plant tissue being broken down, and is carried out by decomposer organisms. It is an important ecosystem process that is vital for facilitating nutrient, energy and … Continue reading Predators have a strong negative effect on decomposition

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community ecology

Linking the variations in euphotic microbes with marine particulate organic carbon flux

Ruiwen Hu, Songfeng Liu, Muhammad Saleem, Zhiyao Xiong, Zhengyuan Zhou, Zhiwen Luo, Longfei Shu, Zhili He and Cheng Wang This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. The deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) is a subsurface layer enriched in chlorophyll typical of stratified marine bodies. Being an integral component of sunlit ocean, the DCM layer not only … Continue reading Linking the variations in euphotic microbes with marine particulate organic carbon flux

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community ecology

It takes a community to maintain a tree hollow

Ross Wetherbee, Tone Birkemoe, Johan Asplund, Marek Renčo, Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Large, old trees were once common in forest throughout the world, but are now becoming increasingly rare, primarily due to human activities. When a tree grows old it develops a complex structure with many ‘microhabitats’, and the global … Continue reading It takes a community to maintain a tree hollow

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community ecology

Ruderals naturalize and competitors invade

Kun Guo, Petr Pyšek, Milan Chytrý, Jan Divíšek, Zdeňka Lososová, Mark van Kleunen, Simon Pierce, Wen-Yong Guo This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Deciphering the factors that allow plants to progress from introduction through establishment to spread (i.e., introduction-naturalization-invasion continuum) is of great importance to both theoretical and applied ecology. Recently, Grime’s adaptive strategies, … Continue reading Ruderals naturalize and competitors invade

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community ecology

Root functional traits drive the overyielding in maize/legume intercropping systems

Hao Yang, Hua-Sen Xu, Wei-Ping Zhang, Zhao-Xin Li, Hong-Xia Fan, Hans Lambers, Long Li This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article that can be found here. Intercropping is an effective practice for eco-friendly production and sustainable agricultural development. Intercropping promotes the efficient use of resources in agroecosystems, including nutrients, water and light. Root systems often play an important role in … Continue reading Root functional traits drive the overyielding in maize/legume intercropping systems

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