Tag: evolutionary ecology

evolutionary ecology

Changing partners in the forest? A case study on Neottia ovata reveals the discrepancy in symbiotic association and orchid ecophysiology

Deyi Wang, Gerhard Gebauer, Hans Jacquemyn, Franziska E. Zahn, Sofia I.F. Gomes, Johanna Lorenz, Harrie van der Hagen, Menno Schilthuizen, Vincent S.F.T. Merckx This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Orchids form intricate symbiotic associations with fungal partners (mycorrhiza). The ability to feed on fungal-derived carbon (mycoheterotrophy) has evolved multiple times independently in the evolutionary … Continue reading Changing partners in the forest? A case study on Neottia ovata reveals the discrepancy in symbiotic association and orchid ecophysiology

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evolutionary ecology

Plant dispersal traits vary among populations and are strongly influenced by within-species competition

Matthew A. Kaproth, Maarten B. Eppinga, Jane Molofsky This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Plant species movement is limited to rare life history opportunities – typically seed dispersal. Dispersal allows for access to new habitats and, over time, the possibility of growing in new ranges. Most models depicting plant movement use a mean value … Continue reading Plant dispersal traits vary among populations and are strongly influenced by within-species competition

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evolutionary ecology

Do seed movement strategies match patterns of environmental change?

Courtney L. Van Den Elzen, Nathan Sigman, Nancy C. Emery This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Most plants have only one opportunity to pick the location they live, and this occurs at the very beginning of their life cycle when they are released from their parent plant as a seed. In nature, the environment … Continue reading Do seed movement strategies match patterns of environmental change?

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evolutionary ecology

Fungal parasites morphologically adapt to infect their daphniid hosts

Syuan-Jyun Sun, Siobhan Calhoun, Meghan Duffy This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Two commonly co-occurring water flea species, Daphnia dentifera and Ceriodaphnia dubia, both of which can be infected by a virulent fungal parasite(Image credit: Syuan-Jyun Sun). Host and parasite fitness are tightly intertwined, with parasites evolving to better exploit the host and hosts … Continue reading Fungal parasites morphologically adapt to infect their daphniid hosts

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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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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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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

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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

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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!)

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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

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