-
Macroevolution along developmental lines of least resistance in fly wings Nat. Ecol. Evol. (IF 13.9) Pub Date : 2025-02-07 Patrick T. Rohner, David Berger
-
Comparative genomics provides insights into chromosomal evolution and immunological adaptation in horseshoe bats Nat. Ecol. Evol. (IF 13.9) Pub Date : 2025-02-07 Shilin Tian, Junyu Si, Libiao Zhang, Jiaming Zeng, Xiangyi Zhang, Chen Huang, Gang Li, Caoqi Lei, Xuming Zhou, Rong Geng, Peng Zhou, Huan Yan, Stephen J. Rossiter, Huabin Zhao
-
Intraspecific scaling of home range size and its bioenergetic association Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-02-06 Evan E. Byrnes, Jenna L. Hounslow, Vital Heim, Clemency E. White, Matthew J. Smukall, Stephen J. Beatty, Adrian C. Gleiss
Home range size and metabolic rate of animals are theorized to scale in relation to body mass with similar exponents. This expectation has only been indirectly tested using lab‐derived estimates of basal metabolic rate as proxies for field energy requirements. Therefore, it is unclear if existing theory aligns with observed patterns of home range scaling since field metabolic rates may scale differently
-
Soil legacies of genotypic diversity enhance population resistance to water stress Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-02-06 Zekang Liu, Cai Cheng, Qun Zhang, Xing Tian, Lin Jiang, Kerri M. Crawford, Xiang Liu, Jianquan Liu, Qiang He, Bo Li, Jihua Wu
While the positive relationship between plant diversity and ecosystem functioning is frequently observed and often attributed to direct plant–plant interactions, it remains unclear whether and how the effects of plant diversity endure through soil legacy effects, particularly at the level of genotypic diversity. We manipulated the genotypic diversity of Scirpus mariqueter and tested its soil legacy
-
The current state, opportunities and challenges for upscaling private investment in biodiversity in Europe Nat. Ecol. Evol. (IF 13.9) Pub Date : 2025-02-05 Sophus O.S.E. zu Ermgassen, Isobel Hawkins, Thomas Lundhede, Qian Liu, Bo Jellesmark Thorsen, Joseph W. Bull
-
-
Using dynamic documents to mend cracks in the reproducible research pipeline J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-02-05 Yvonne M. Buckley, Richard Bardgett, Rowena Gordon, Amy Iler, Pierre Mariotte, Samantha Ponton, Andy Hector
-
Reproductive Interference Alters Species Coexistence in Nematodes due to Asymmetric Sperm‐Induced Harm Ecol. Lett. (IF 7.6) Pub Date : 2025-02-04 Rebecca Schalkowski, Katja R. Kasimatis, Megan A. Greischar, Asher D. Cutter
-
A pattern‐oriented simulation for forecasting species spread through time and space: a case study on an ecosystem engineer on the move Ecography (IF 5.4) Pub Date : 2025-02-04 Rahil J. Amin, Jessie C. Buettel, Matthew W. Fielding, Peter M. Vaughan, Barry W. Brook
Modelling the spread of introduced ecosystem engineers is a conservation priority due to their potential to cause irreversible ecosystem‐level changes. While existing models predict potential distributions and spread capacities, new approaches that simulate the trajectory of a species' spread over time are needed. We developed novel simulations that predict spatial and temporal spread, capturing both
-
Assembly processes inferred from eDNA surveys of a pond metacommunity are consistent with known species ecologies Ecography (IF 5.4) Pub Date : 2025-02-04 Wang Cai, Maximilian Pichler, Jeremy Biggs, Pascale Nicolet, Naomi Ewald, Richard A. Griffiths, Alex Bush, Mathew A. Leibold, Florian Hartig, Douglas W. Yu
Technological advances are enabling ecologists to conduct large‐scale and structured community surveys. However, it is unclear how best to extract information from these novel community data. We metabarcoded 48 vertebrate species from their eDNA in 320 ponds across England and applied the ‘internal structure' approach, which uses joint species distribution models (JSDMs) to explain compositions as
-
The best of two worlds: toward large‐scale monitoring of biodiversity combining COI metabarcoding and optimized parataxonomic validation Ecography (IF 5.4) Pub Date : 2025-02-04 Benoit Penel, Christine N. Meynard, Laure Benoit, Axel Boudonne, Anne-Laure Clamens, Laurent Soldati, Alain Migeon, Marie‐Pierre Chapuis, Sylvain Piry, Gael Kergoat, Julien Haran
In a context of unprecedented insect decline, it is critical to have reliable monitoring tools to measure species diversity and their dynamic at large‐scales. High‐throughput DNA‐based identification methods, and particularly metabarcoding, were proposed as an effective way to reach this aim. However, these identification methods are subject to multiple technical limitations, resulting in unavoidable
-
The role of climate and species interactions in determining the distribution of two elevationally segregated species of small mammals through time Ecography (IF 5.4) Pub Date : 2025-02-04 Alexandra C. Coconis, Kenneth E. Nussear, Rebecca J. Rowe, Angela D. Hornsby, Marjorie D. Matocq
The relative importance of abiotic and biotic factors in determining species distributions has long been of interest to ecologists but is often difficult to assess due to the lack of spatially and temporally robust occurrence records. Furthermore, locating places where potentially highly competitive species co‐occur may be challenging but would provide critical knowledge into the effects of competition
-
Niche packing, but not niche expansion, explains the co‐occurrence of hummingbirds‐visited plants Ecography (IF 5.4) Pub Date : 2025-02-04 Rafael de Oliveira, Elisa Barreto, Thais B. Zanata, Francisco Tobar, Tatiana Santander, María José Gavilanes, Catherine H. Graham, Isabela G. Varassin
Tropical mountains often harbour high species richness. Yet the mechanisms behind such high richness remain poorly understood. One prominent hypothesis for high species richness is niche partitioning, which reduces competition and promotes coexistence. Here, we evaluate niche structure and specialisation of plant species based on the floral traits related to pollination interactions across an elevational
-
Use and misuse of trait imputation in ecology: the problem of using out‐of‐context imputed values Ecography (IF 5.4) Pub Date : 2025-02-04 Lucas Damián Gorné, Jesús Aguirre-Gutiérrez, Fernanda C. Souza, Nathan G. Swenson, Nathan Jared Boardman Kraft, Beatriz Schwantes Marimon, Timothy R. Baker, Renato A. Ferreira de Lima, Emilio Vilanova, Esteban Álvarez-Dávila, Abel Monteagudo Mendoza, Gerardo Rafael Flores Llampazo, Rubens Manoel dos Santos, Gerhard Boenisch, Alejandro Araujo-Murakami, Gonzalo Rivas-Torres, Hirma Ramírez-Angulo, Nayane
Despite the progress in the measurement and accessibility of plant trait information, acquiring sufficiently complete data from enough species to answer broad‐scale questions in plant functional ecology and biogeography remains challenging. A common way to overcome this challenge is by imputation, or ‘gap‐filling' of trait values. This has proven appropriate when focusing on the overall patterns emerging
-
The hidden half of ontogeny and seasonal dynamics in perennial herbs J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-02-04 Jana Martínková, Adam Klimeš, Iveta Marešová, Jitka Klimešová
-
Tree species identity shapes the relationship between canopy cover and herb‐layer species in temperate forests J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-02-04 Clément Vallé, Isabelle Le Viol, Jean Nabias, Karine Princé, Frédéric Gosselin
-
A simple competition model can predict rainforest tree diversity, species abundance and ecosystem functions J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-02-04 Takashi S. Kohyama, Nanako Shigesada, Kokichi Kawasaki, Matthew D. Potts, Zamah S. Nur Hajar, Tetsuo I. Kohyama, Douglas Sheil
-
Lichens are more tolerant against winter warming stress than vascular and non‐vascular plants: Insights from an alpine field experiment J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-02-04 Eirik A. Finne, Jarle W. Bjerke, Frode Stordal, Lena M. Tallaksen
-
Mean plant toxicity modulates the effects of plant defense variability Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-02-04 Vincent S. Pan, Kadeem J. Gilbert, William C. Wetzel
Plant trait variation is thought to suppress herbivore performance, but experiments typically manipulate only a single mean level of the trait. We manipulated the mean and variation of the concentration of a plant toxin in a model plant–herbivore system across three field and greenhouse experiments. Plants with leaves painted with a higher mean toxin concentration exhibited increased fitness and resistance
-
-
Cover Image Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-02-04
COVER PHOTO: The receding tide reveals vibrant eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows in the San Juan Islands, Washington, USA. Eelgrass creates biodiverse habitats worldwide for many fish and invertebrates, including arthropod and gastropod herbivores, but is at risk from seagrass wasting disease, caused by the marine protist Labyrinthula zosterae. Using a combination of lab experiments and field surveys
-
Semiannual dormancy cycling results in two seedling cohorts of annual species in the cold desert of Central Asia J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-02-03 Ruru Guo, Carol C. Baskin, Jerry M. Baskin, Lei Wang, Huiliang Liu, Guofang Liu, Xuehua Ye, Gideon Grafi, Xuejun Yang, Zhenying Huang
-
Seasonal Shifts in Trophic Interaction Strength Drive Stability of Natural Food Webs Ecol. Lett. (IF 7.6) Pub Date : 2025-02-01 Ursula Gaedke, Xiaoxiao Li, Christian Guill, Lia Hemerik, Peter C. de Ruiter
-
Decline in plant species richness with a chronic decrease of precipitation: The mediating role of the dominant species J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-01-31 Gábor Ónodi, Miklós Kertész, Ákos Bede‐Fazekas, Péter Batáry, György Kröel‐Dulay, Zoltán Botta‐Dukát
-
Short‐term prescribed fire frequency manipulation alters community response to subsequent fires in a southeastern pine savanna J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-01-31 Anita Simha, Justin P. Wright
-
Replacing native grazers with livestock influences arthropods to have implications for ecosystem functions and disease Ecol. Appl. (IF 4.3) Pub Date : 2025-01-31 Pronoy Baidya, Shamik Roy, Jalmesh Karapurkar, Sumanta Bagchi
Grazing by large mammalian herbivores influences ecosystem structure and functions through its impacts on vegetation and soil, as well as by the influence on other animals such as arthropods. As livestock progressively replace native grazers around the world, it is pertinent to ask whether they have comparable influence over arthropods, or not. We use a replicated landscape‐level, long‐term grazer‐exclusion
-
Author Correction: Mitochondrial somatic mutation and selection throughout ageing Nat. Ecol. Evol. (IF 13.9) Pub Date : 2025-01-30 Isabel M. Serrano, Misa Hirose, Charles C. Valentine, Sharon Roesner, Elizabeth Schmidt, Gabriel Pratt, Lindsey Williams, Jesse Salk, Saleh Ibrahim, Peter H. Sudmant
Correction to: Nature Ecology & Evolution https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02338-3, published online 15 February 2024.
-
Insights into the human sex chromosomes from divergence between the X–Y gametologues Nat. Ecol. Evol. (IF 13.9) Pub Date : 2025-01-30
-
Addendum: Mitochondrial somatic mutation and selection throughout ageing Nat. Ecol. Evol. (IF 13.9) Pub Date : 2025-01-30 Isabel M. Serrano, Peter H. Sudmant
-
Intraspecific Diversity in Thermal Performance Determines Phytoplankton Ecological Niche Ecol. Lett. (IF 7.6) Pub Date : 2025-01-30 Arianna I. Krinos, Sara K. Shapiro, Weixuan Li, Sheean T. Haley, Sonya T. Dyhrman, Stephanie Dutkiewicz, Michael J. Follows, Harriet Alexander
-
Plant diversity loss has limited effects on below‐ground biomass and traits but alters community short‐term root production in a species‐rich grassland J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-01-30 Clara Gracia, Aleš Lisner, Markéta Applová, Thinles Chondol, Vojtěch Dolejšek, Eva Janíková, Yogita Karpate, Marie Konečná, Athina Papatheodoulou, Leyre Pedrós, Tereza Švancárová, Jan Lepš, Jules Segrestin
-
-
Lack of successful sexual reproduction suggests the irreversible parthenogenesis in a stick insect Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-30 Tomonari Nozaki, Yasuhiko Chikami, Koki Yano, Ryuta Sato, Kenji Suetsugu, Shingo Kaneko
-
Generative AI as a tool to accelerate the field of ecology Nat. Ecol. Evol. (IF 13.9) Pub Date : 2025-01-29 Kasim Rafiq, Sara Beery, Meredith S. Palmer, Zaid Harchaoui, Briana Abrahms
The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) models specializing in the generation of new data with the statistical patterns and properties of the data upon which the models were trained has profoundly influenced a range of academic disciplines, industry and public discourse. Combined with the vast amounts of diverse data now available to ecologists, from genetic sequences to remotely sensed
-
A Probabilistic View of Forbidden Links: Their Prevalence and Their Consequences for the Robustness of Plant–Hummingbird Communities Ecol. Lett. (IF 7.6) Pub Date : 2025-01-28 François Duchenne, Elisa Barreto, Esteban A. Guevara, Holger Beck, Carolina Bello, Rafaela Bobato, Daniela Bôlla, Emanuel Brenes, Nicole Büttner, Ana P. Caron, Nelson Chaves‐Elizondo, María J. Gavilanes, Alejandro Restrepo‐González, Jose Alejandro Castro, Miriam Kaehler, Tiago Machado‐de‐Souza, Miguel Machnicki‐Reis, Andrés Sebastián F. Marcayata, Cauã G. de Menezes, Andrea Nieto, Rafael de Oliveira
-
An invasive pathogen generally contracts species to their niche cores, not margins Ecography (IF 5.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-28 Ben C. Scheele, Geoffrey W. Heard, Richard P. Duncan, Simon Clulow, Jarrod Sopniewski
Quantifying how species' distributions contract in response to threats can reveal pathways of decline and the role of environmental conditions in moderating threat impacts. Two general patterns of niche contraction have been described: ecological marginalization, where species contract away from threat impacts to peripheral, sub‐optimal areas of their niche, and; contraction to the core, where species
-
Population viability of the orchid Gymnadenia conopsea increases with population size but is not related to genetic diversity J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-01-28 Linus Söderquist, Johan P. Dahlgren, Nina Sletvold
-
The biodiversity of ice‐free Antarctica database Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-28 Aleks Terauds, Jasmine R. Lee, Hannah S. Wauchope, Ben Raymond, Dana M. Bergstrom, Peter Convey, Claire Mason, Charlotte R. Patterson, Sharon A. Robinson, Anton Van de Putte, David Watts, Steven L. Chown
Antarctica is one of Earth's most untouched, inhospitable, and poorly known regions. Although knowledge of its biodiversity has increased over recent decades, a diverse, wide‐ranging, and spatially explicit compilation of the biodiversity that inhabits Antarctica's permanently ice‐free areas is unavailable. This absence hinders both Antarctic biodiversity research and the integration of Antarctica
-
The influence of lightning on insect and fungal dynamics in a lowland tropical forest Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-28 Kane A. Lawhorn, Jeannine H. Richards, Evan M. Gora, Jeffrey C. Burchfield, Phillip M. Bitzer, Cesar Gutierrez, Stephen P. Yanoviak
Lightning strikes are a common source of disturbance in tropical forests, and a typical strike generates large quantities of dead wood. Lightning‐damaged trees are a consistent resource for tropical saproxylic (i.e., dead wood‐dependent) organisms, but patterns of consumer colonization and succession following lightning strikes are not known. Here, we documented the occurrence of four common consumer
-
Multiple mechanisms associated with loss of seed bank diversity under nitrogen enrichment J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-01-27 Miaojun Ma, Anu Eskelinen, Yunpeng Zhao, Carol C. Baskin, Chunming Xin, Panhong Zhang, Zengpeng Guo, Hui Zhang, Xuejing Wang, Pengfei Zhang, Guozhen Du
-
The proportion of low abundance species is a key predictor of plant β‐diversity across the latitudinal gradient J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-01-27 Jing Xiao, Yuantao Feng, Huixin Zhang, Chenchao Xu, Kaihang Zhang, Marc W. Cadotte, Lei Cheng
-
Plant growth strategies and microbial contributions to ecosystem nitrogen retention along a soil acidification gradient Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-27 Ying Zhang, Ruzhen Wang, Baitao Gu, Heyong Liu, Feike A. Dijkstra, Xingguo Han, Yong Jiang
Nitrogen (N) retention is a critical ecosystem function associated with sustainable N supply. Lack of experimental evidence limits our understanding of how grassland N retention can vary with soil acidification. A 15N‐labeling experiment was conducted for 2 years to quantify N retention by soil pathways and plant functional groups across a soil‐acidification gradient in a meadow. The 15N added to the
-
Early life stage bottleneck determines rates of coral recovery following severe disturbance Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-27 Kelly E. Speare, Lauren N. Enright, Allison Aplin, Thomas C. Adam, Peter J. Edmunds, Deron E. Burkepile
Understanding how foundation species recover from disturbances is key for predicting the future of ecosystems in the Anthropocene. Coral reefs are dynamic ecosystems that can undergo rapid declines in coral abundance following disturbances. Understanding why some reefs recover quickly from these disturbances whereas others recover slowly (or not at all) gives insight into the drivers of community resilience
-
Predicting the impact of targeted fence removal on connectivity in a migratory ecosystem Ecol. Appl. (IF 4.3) Pub Date : 2025-01-27 Imogen A. Schwandner, Thomas A. Morrison, J. Grant C. Hopcraft, Jake Wall, Lacey Hughey, Randall B. Boone, Joseph O. Ogutu, Andrew F. Jakes, Shem C. Kifugo, Campaign Limo, Stephen Ndambuki Mwiu, Vasco Nyaga, Han Olff, Gordon O. Ojwang, Wilson Sairowua, Jackson Sasine, Jully S. Senteu, Daniel Sopia, Jeffrey Worden, Jared A. Stabach
Fencing is one of the most widely utilized tools for reducing human‐wildlife conflict in agricultural landscapes. However, the increasing global footprint of fencing exceeds millions of kilometers and has unintended consequences for wildlife, including habitat fragmentation, movement restriction, entanglement, and mortality. Here, we present a novel and quantitative approach to prioritize fence removal
-
Evolutionary divergence between homologous X–Y chromosome genes shapes sex-biased biology Nat. Ecol. Evol. (IF 13.9) Pub Date : 2025-01-24 Alex R. DeCasien, Kathryn Tsai, Siyuan Liu, Adam Thomas, Armin Raznahan
-
A Non‐Equilibrium Species Distribution Model Reveals Unprecedented Depth of Time Lag Responses to Past Environmental Change Trajectories Ecol. Lett. (IF 7.6) Pub Date : 2025-01-24 Etienne Lalechère, Ronan Marrec, Jonathan Lenoir
-
Drivers of amphibian species richness in European ponds Ecography (IF 5.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-24 Alejandro López‐de Sancha, Lluís Benejam, Dani Boix, Lars Briggs, Maria Cuenca-Cambronero, Thomas A. Davidson, Luc De Meester, Julie C. Fahy, Pieter Lemmens, Beatriz Martin, Thomas Mehner, Beat Oertli, Marzenna Rasmussen, Helen M. Greaves, Carl Sayer, Meryem Beklioğlu, Rein Brys, Sandra Brucet
Amphibians are commonly occurring inhabitants of most lentic freshwater ecosystems, yet their global populations are in alarming decline. Ponds in particular play a crucial role in supporting amphibian biodiversity. In this study, we identified the main drivers influencing amphibian species richness by conducting a comprehensive ecological characterization in 201 ponds across seven European countries
-
Nitrogen fixation may not alleviate stoichiometric imbalances that limit primary production in eutrophic lake ecosystems Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-24 Isabelle M. Andersen, Jason M. Taylor, Patrick T. Kelly, Alexa K. Hoke, Caleb J. Robbins, J. Thad Scott
Ecosystem‐scale primary production may be proximately limited by nitrogen (N) but ultimately limited by phosphorus (P) because N2 fixation contributes new N that accumulates relative to P at ecosystem scales. However, the duration needed to transition between proximate N limitation and ultimate P limitation remains unknown for most ecosystems, including lakes. Here we present the results of a fully
-
A pan‐European citizen science study shows population size, climate and land use are related to biased morph ratios in the heterostylous plant Primula veris J. Ecol. (IF 5.3) Pub Date : 2025-01-23 Tsipe Aavik, Triin Reitalu, Marianne Kivastik, Iris Reinula, Sabrina Träger, Evelyn Uuemaa, Marta Barberis, Arjen Biere, Sílvia Castro, Sara A. O. Cousins, Anikó Csecserits, Eleftherios Dariotis, Živa Fišer, Grzegorz Grzejszczak, Cuong Nguyen Huu, Kertu Hool, Hans Jacquemyn, Margaux Julien, Marcin Klisz, Alexander Kmoch, Nikos Krigas, Attila Lengyel, Michael Lenhard, Desalew M. Moges, Zuzana Münzbergová
-
Costs and benefits of maternal nest choice: Trade‐offs between brood survival and thermal stress in bees Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-23 Jessie L. deHaan, Jesse Maretzki, Adonis Skandalis, Glenn J. Tattersall, Miriam H. Richards
Optimal nest site selection is crucial in animals whose offspring are completely dependent on the shelter of a nest. Parental decisions influencing nest thermal conditions are particularly important because temperature strongly influences juvenile activity, metabolism, growth, developmental rate, survival, and adult body size. In small ectotherms such as bees, maternal decisions to nest in sun‐exposed
-
Putting seedlings on the map: Trade‐offs in demographic rates between ontogenetic size classes in five tropical forests Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-23 Stephan Kambach, Helge Bruelheide, Liza S. Comita, Richard Condit, S. Joseph Wright, Salomón Aguilar, Chia‐Hao Chang‐Yang, Yu‐Yun Chen, Nancy C. Garwood, Stephen P. Hubbell, Pei‐Jen Luo, Margaret R. Metz, Musalmah Bt. Nasardin, Rolando Pérez, Simon A. Queenborough, I‐Fang Sun, Nathan G. Swenson, Jill Thompson, María Uriarte, Renato Valencia, Tze Leong Yao, Jess K. Zimmerman, Nadja Rüger
All species must partition resources among the processes that underly growth, survival, and reproduction. The resulting demographic trade‐offs constrain the range of viable life‐history strategies and are hypothesized to promote local coexistence. Tropical forests pose ideal systems to study demographic trade‐offs as they have a high diversity of coexisting tree species whose life‐history strategies
-
Seagrass wasting disease prevalence and lesion area increase with invertebrate grazing across the northeastern Pacific Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-23 Lillian R. Aoki, Carmen J. Ritter, Deanna S. Beatty, Lia K. Domke, Ginny L. Eckert, Olivia J. Graham, Carla P. Gomes, Collin Gross, Timothy L. Hawthorne, Eliza Heery, Margot Hessing‐Lewis, Kevin Hovel, Karl Koehler, Zachary L. Monteith, Ryan S. Mueller, Angeleen M. Olson, Carolyn Prentice, Brendan Rappazzo, John J. Stachowicz, Fiona Tomas, Bo Yang, C. Drew Harvell, J. Emmett Duffy
Disease is a key driver of community and ecosystem structure, especially when it strikes foundation species. In the widespread marine foundation species eelgrass (Zostera marina), outbreaks of wasting disease have caused large‐scale meadow collapse in the past, and the causative pathogen, Labyrinthula zosterae, is commonly found in meadows globally. Research to date has mainly focused on abiotic environmental
-
Predictive models are indeed useful for causal inference Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-23 James D. Nichols, Evan G. Cooch
The subject of investigating causation in ecology has been widely discussed in recent years, especially by advocates of a structural causal model (SCM) approach. Some of these advocates have criticized the use of predictive models and model selection for drawing inferences about causation. We argue that the comparison of model‐based predictions with observations is a key step in hypothetico‐deductive
-
Canopy complexity drives positive effects of tree diversity on productivity in two tree diversity experiments Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-23 Catherine Fahey, Dennis Choi, Jianmin Wang, Grant M. Domke, Joseph D. Edwards, Songlin Fei, Stephanie N. Kivlin, Elizabeth A. LaRue, Melissa K. McCormick, William J. McShea, Richard P. Phillips, Jamie Pullen, John D. Parker
Forest canopy complexity (i.e., the three‐dimensional structure of the canopy) is often associated with increased species diversity as well as high primary productivity across natural forests. However, canopy complexity, tree diversity, and productivity are often confounded in natural forests, and the mechanisms of these relationships remain unclear. Here, we used two large tree diversity experiments
-
Radio‐tracking urban breeding birds: The importance of native vegetation Ecol. Appl. (IF 4.3) Pub Date : 2025-01-23 Gábor Seress, Krisztina Sándor, Veronika Bókony, Boglárka Bukor, Katalin Hubai, András Liker
As urban areas continue to expand globally, a deeper understanding of the functioning of urban green spaces is crucial for maintaining habitats that effectively support wildlife within our cities. Cities typically harbor a wide variety of nonnative vegetation, providing limited support for insect populations. The resulting scarcity of arthropods has been increasingly linked to adverse effects at higher
-
Pointed‐snout wrasse builds nest on Sarcotragus foetidus sponges Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-22 Francesca Strano, Francesco Tiralongo, Valerio Micaroni
-
Parasitoid avoidance of intraguild predation drives enemy complementarity in a multi‐trophic ecological network Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-22 Andrew B. Hennessy, Riley M. Anderson, Nora Mitchell, Kailen A. Mooney, Michael S. Singer
How consumer diversity determines consumption efficiency is a central issue in ecology. In the context of predation and biological control, this relationship concerns predator diversity and predation efficiency. Reduced predation efficiency can result from different predator taxa eating each other in addition to their common prey (interference due to intraguild predation). By contrast, multiple predator
-
Common juniper, the oldest nonclonal woody species across the tundra biome and the European continent Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-22 Marco Carrer, Raffaella Dibona, Davide Frigo, Ludmila Gorlanova, Rashit Hantemirov, Lucrezia Unterholzner, Signe Normand, Urs Albert Treier, Angela Luisa Prendin
-
Niche partitioning in a periphyton metacommunity peaks at intermediate species richness in midsized rivers Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-22 Thomas Fuß, Lukas Thuile Bistarelli, Robert Ptacnik, Gabriel A. Singer
The trait‐based partitioning of species plays a critical role in biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships. This niche partitioning drives and depends on community structure, yet this link remains elusive in the context of a metacommunity, where local community assembly is dictated by regional dispersal alongside local environmental conditions. Hence, elucidating the coupling of niche partitioning
-
Priority effects can be explained by competitive traits Ecology (IF 4.4) Pub Date : 2025-01-22 Tamara L. H. van Steijn, Paul Kardol, Roland Jansson, Jessica Tjäder, Judith M. Sarneel
Priority effects, the effects of early‐arriving species on late‐arriving species, are caused by niche preemption and/or niche modification. The strength of priority effects can be determined by the extent of niche preemption and/or modification by the early‐arriving species; however, the strength of priority effects may also be influenced by the late‐arriving species, as some species may be better