1.Litter decomposition in sunny, semiarid and arid ecosystems is controlled by both biotic factors including litter traits and abiotic factors including UV light, but for wood decomposition it still remains uncertain which of these environmental factors are the predominant controls among different woody species. In these dry ecosystems it is likely that the stem diameter and spatial position of the

Juvenile growth trajectories evolve via the interplay of selective pressures on age and size at maturity, and developmental constraints. In insects, the moulting cycle is a major constraint on larval growth trajectories. Surface area to volume ratio of a larva decreases during growth, so renewal of certain surfaces by moulting is likely needed for the maintenance of physiological efficiency. A null

Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry links microbial decomposition with nutrient mineralization and improves our understanding of nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Microbial C:N:P acquisition in the topsoil converged at a ratio of 1:1:1 in global ecosystems. However, whether the ratio of microbial acquisition is stable in forest soils, and is applicable among different soil depths remain unknown. Based

Male animals usually raise their sperm allocation after detecting sperm competition risk. To date, only a few studies have investigated the cues used by males to sense and respond to rivals. Yet, it is still largely unknown whether males respond to single or combined cues and whether they can increase their lifetime spermatozoal investment after a perception of rival cue(s). Here we postulate that

1. Selecting suitable species for vegetation restoration presents a notable challenge for land managers and scientists. Recently developed trait‐based approaches may be an effective means of overcoming this challenge. However, we lack a trait‐based species screening model that can be used to select potential species for restoration of degraded ecosystems.

Temperate trees rely on carbon (C) and nutrient remobilisation from storage to resume growth after winter. Minimum storage levels during the growing season suggest that remobilisation could signify that C availability is insufficient to meet growth demands; consequently, growth might be C and/or nutrient limited. However, it remains unclear whether higher growth demands are covered by higher remobilization

Vectors and viruses exist in communities consisting of many interacting species. Although the cascading effects of predators or parasitoids on disease spread via direct effects on vectors have been investigated, little is known about the effects of other free‐living species in communities on the transmission of vector‐borne viruses via indirect (host‐plant mediated) effects on vectors. In the present

Northern peatlands consist of a mosaic of peatland types that vary spatially and temporally and differ in their methane (CH4) production. Microbial community composition and environment both potentially control the processes that release carbon from anoxic peat either as CH4 or as carbon dioxide (CO2), a less potent greenhouse gas than CH4. However, the respective roles of these controls remain unclear

Selection pressures along climate gradients give rise to predictable variation in plant functional traits of individual species suggestive of local adaptation. Species whose ranges include winter rainfall, Mediterranean climates, or other strongly seasonal climates, may be exposed to divergent selection pressures at different ends of seasonality gradients. Here, we evaluate how rainfall seasonality

Many animals improve their foraging success by producing signals that exploit the sensory biases of potential prey, but the specific properties that make these sensory traps effective remain unclear. We combine field experiments with phylogenetic comparative analyses to investigate the visual luring properties of different signal designs in web‐building spiders. Our field experiments used cardboard

The life cycles of animals vary in relation to local climate, as a result of both direct environmental effects and population‐level variation in plastic responses. Insects often respond to the approach of winter by entering diapause, a hormonally programmed resting state where development is suspended and metabolism suppressed. Populations often differ in the duration of diapause, but the adaptive

The field metabolic rate (FMR) of an endothermic animal represents its energy expenditure in a natural environment, or its energy budget, and its field water flux (FWF) reflects the animal's water requirements. We examined FMR of 103 species and FWF of 75 species of adult birds from direct field measurements using the doubly labelled water method, and used the phylogenetic generalized least squares

Cover image: Podarcis lizard from the Southern Adriatic (Croatia). These lizards often include plant matter into their diet, and some populations have rapidly adapted to these novel diets after having been introduced on some islands. Epigenetic mechanisms have been invoked to explain the rapid phenotypic changes that have taken place in these introduced populations. Our Special Feature: Epigenetics

We generally assume that animals should maximize information acquisition about their environment to make prudent decisions. But this is a naïve assumption, as gaining information typically involves costs. This is especially so in the social context, where interests between interacting partners usually diverge. The arms race involved in mutual assessment is characterized by the attempt to obtain revealing

The discovery of the multidimensional nature of the inherited information carried by the epigenome and the characterization of its intra‐ and intergenerational dynamics have profoundly changed our understanding of the functioning of biological organisms and the origins of phenotypic diversity. This has raised considerable interest in the study of epigenetics which is emerging as a ‘missing link’ between