Ecology

Article Ecology

Global estimates of the extent and production of macroalgal forests

Carlos M. Duarte, Jean-Pierre Gattuso, Kasper Hancke, Hege Gundersen, Karen Filbee-Dexter, Morten F. Pedersen, Jack J. Middelburg, Michael T. Burrows, Kira A. Krumhansl, Thomas Wernberg, Pippa Moore, Albert Pessarrodona, Sarah B. Orberg, Isabel S. Pinto, Jorge Assis, Ana M. Queiros, Dan A. Smale, Trine Bekkby, Ester A. Serrao, Dorte Krause-Jensen

Summary: This study provides a data-driven assessment of the global extent and production of macroalgal habitats, revealing that macroalgal forests are a significant biome with a large area and high productivity. They are globally distributed as a thin strip along shorelines and their expansion in polar, subpolar, and tropical areas may increase their contribution to global carbon sequestration.

GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY (2022)

Article Biodiversity Conservation

Stimulation of ammonia oxidizer and denitrifier abundances by nitrogen loading: Poor predictability for increased soil N2O emission

Yong Zhang, Feng Zhang, Diego Abalos, Yiqi Luo, Dafeng Hui, Bruce A. Hungate, Pablo Garcia-Palacios, Yakov Kuzyakov, Jorgen Eivind Olesen, Uffe Jorgensen, Ji Chen

Summary: The study found that nitrogen loading significantly increased the abundance of ammonia oxidizers and denitrifiers in soil, but this did not directly correlate with changes in soil N2O emission. Abiotic factors such as mean annual precipitation, soil pH, soil C:N ratio, and ecosystem type were key in regulating nitrogen-induced changes in soil N2O emission.

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY (2022)

Review Ecology

Biodiversity promotes ecosystem functioning despite environmental change

Pubin Hong, Bernhard Schmid, Frederik De Laender, Nico Eisenhauer, Xingwen Zhang, Haozhen Chen, Dylan Craven, Hans J. De Boeck, Yann Hautier, Owen L. Petchey, Peter B. Reich, Bastian Steudel, Maren Striebel, Madhav P. Thakur, Shaopeng Wang

Summary: The research shows that biodiversity has a positive impact on ecosystem functioning, especially in high-stress environments affected by global environmental change factors. This positive impact is mainly driven by interspecific complementarity and increases over time.

ECOLOGY LETTERS (2022)

Article Agriculture, Multidisciplinary

Permanent grasslands in Europe: Land use change and intensification decrease their multifunctionality

Rene L. M. Schils, Conny Bufe, Caroline M. Rhymer, Richard M. Francksen, Valentin H. Klaus, Mohamed Abdalla, Filippo Milazzo, Eszter Lellei-Kovacs, Hein ten Berge, Chiara Bertora, Anna Chodkiewicz, Claudia Damatirca, Iris Feigenwinter, Pilar Fernandez-Rebollo, Shiva Ghiasi, Stanislav Hejduk, Matthew Hiron, Maria Janicka, Raoul Pellaton, Kate E. Smith, Rachel Thorman, Tom Vanwalleghem, John Williams, Laura Zavattaro, Jarl Kampen, Ria Derkx, Pete Smith, Mark J. Whittingham, Nina Buchmann, J. Paul Newell Price

Summary: Permanent grasslands in Europe are crucial for providing various ecosystem services, but their area has been declining over time. This review found that land use change and increased management intensity have negative impacts on the multifunctionality of grasslands. Preserving permanent grasslands and adopting low-intensity management practices are important for preserving ecosystem services.

AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT (2022)

Article Ecology

Meta-analysis Reveals Different Competition Effects on Tree Growth Resistance and Resilience to Drought

Daniele Castagneri, Giorgio Vacchiano, Andrew Hacket-Pain, R. Justin DeRose, Tamir Klein, Alessandra Bottero

Summary: The study found that competition at stand level does influence tree growth response to drought, as it strengthens the association between water availability and growth rates. Competition reduces resistance but improves recovery in trees, with inconsistent effects on resilience to drought.

ECOSYSTEMS (2022)

Review Ecology

Where greenspace matters most: A systematic review of urbanicity, greenspace, and physical health

Matthew H. E. M. Browning, Alessandro Rigolon, Olivia McAnirlin, Hyunseo (Violet) Yoon

Summary: Greenspace in urban areas may have greater protective health effects than elsewhere. Urban dwellers experience more environmental harmful exposures, attentional demands, and stressors than their suburban/rural counterparts. Stronger greenspace-health associations in more urban areas might be explained in part by the mechanistic pathways underlying these associations.

LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING (2022)

Article Ecology

The Movebank system for studying global animal movement and demography

Roland Kays, Sarah C. Davidson, Matthias Berger, Gil Bohrer, Wolfgang Fiedler, Andrea Flack, Julian Hirt, Clemens Hahn, Dominik Gauggel, Benedict Russell, Andrea Kolzsch, Ashley Lohr, Jesko Partecke, Michael Quetting, Kamran Safi, Anne Scharf, Gabriel Schneider, Ilona Lang, Friedrich Schaeuffelhut, Matthias Landwehr, Martin Storhas, Louis van Schalkwyk, Candace Vinciguerra, Rolf Weinzierl, Martin Wikelski

Summary: Movebank is an ecosystem of tools used by thousands of researchers to collect, manage, share, visualize, analyse and archive animal tracking and sensor data. With over 3,100 data owners globally, Movebank manages over 6 billion animal location and sensor measurements across more than 6,500 studies. The platform enables real-time monitoring of animals at a global scale and facilitates broad comparative analyses and collaboration efforts.

METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION (2022)

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Meta-analysis shows both congruence and complementarity of DNA and eDNA metabarcoding to traditional methods for biological community assessment

Francois Keck, Rosetta C. Blackman, Raphael Bossart, Jeanine Brantschen, Marjorie Couton, Samuel Hurlemann, Dominik Kirschner, Nadine Locher, Heng Zhang, Florian Altermatt

Summary: DNA metabarcoding provides consistent richness estimates with traditional methods for aquatic community assessment, particularly in fish. However, there are pronounced differences between DNA metabarcoding and traditional methods for plankton, microphytobenthos, and macroinvertebrates, with DNA metabarcoding missing some taxa but also detecting otherwise overlooked diversity.

MOLECULAR ECOLOGY (2022)

Article Ecology

Evaluation of the policy-driven ecological network in the Three-North Shelterbelt region of China

Haowei Mu, Xuecao Li, Haijiao Ma, Xiaoping Du, Jianxi Huang, Wei Su, Zhen Yu, Chen Xu, Hualiang Liu, Dongqin Yin, Baoguo Li

Summary: This study evaluated the ecological network in the Three-North Shelterbelt (TNS) region in China from a policy-driven perspective. The research found that the ecological network is denser in humid regions and identified vulnerable areas in the southern part of the Qilian Mountains and the northern part of Shaanxi. Additionally, the study observed a consistent decrease in human activities and species numbers with increasing distance to the ecological network.

LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING (2022)

Review Ecology

Energy consumption and environmental degradation nexus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of fossil fuel and renewable energy consumption

Serpil Kilic Depren, Mustafa Tevfik Kartal, Nese Coban Celikdemir, Ozer Depren

Summary: This study examines the impact of fossil fuel and renewable energy consumption on environmental degradation through bibliometric analysis, revealing research trends and international distribution, and providing suggestions for future studies.

ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS (2022)

Article Biodiversity Conservation

Global variation in soil carbon sequestration potential through improved cropland management

Malte Lessmann, Gerard H. Ros, Madaline D. Young, Wim de Vries

Summary: By combining global meta-analytical results on improved management practices with spatially explicit data, the estimated global carbon sequestration potential varies from 0.28 to 0.68 Gt C yr(-1) assuming maximum complementarity among all measures. Realistically, the estimate ranges from 0.28 to 0.43 Gt C yr(-1), highlighting regional differences in carbon sequestration potential due to varying yield gaps, SOC levels, and current practices.

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY (2022)

Article Ecology

Number of growth days and not length of the growth period determines radial stem growth of temperate trees

Sophia Etzold, Frank Sterck, Arun K. Bose, Sabine Braun, Nina Buchmann, Werner Eugster, Arthur Gessler, Ansgar Kahmen, Richard L. Peters, Yann Vitasse, Lorenz Walthert, Kasia Zieminska, Roman Zweifel

Summary: This study on the daily radial growth of 160 individuals of seven temperate tree species in Switzerland over 8 years revealed that growth is influenced by day length, air, and soil moisture. The number of days with growth largely determines annual growth, with growth being constrained by day length. Researchers call for incorporating these non-linear intra-annual and species-specific growth dynamics into tree and forest models to improve predictions under climate change.

ECOLOGY LETTERS (2022)

Article Ecology

Machine learning based wildfire susceptibility mapping using remotely sensed fire data and GIS: A case study of Adana and Mersin provinces, Turkey

Muzaffer Can Iban, Aliihsan Sekertekin

Summary: This study aims to generate Machine Learning (ML) based wildfire susceptibility maps for Adana and Mersin provinces in Turkey and evaluates the performance of different algorithms. The results indicate that the Random Forest model performs the best, and elevation, temperature, and slope are the most significant factors.

ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS (2022)

Article Biodiversity Conservation

Beyond bulk: Density fractions explain heterogeneity in global soil carbon abundance and persistence

Katherine Heckman, Caitlin E. Hicks Pries, Corey R. Lawrence, Craig Rasmussen, Susan E. Crow, Alison M. Hoyt, Sophie F. von Fromm, Zheng Shi, Shane Stoner, Casey McGrath, Jeffrey Beem-Miller, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Joseph C. Blankinship, Marco Keiluweit, Erika Marin-Spiotta, J. Grey Monroe, Alain F. Plante, Joshua Schimel, Carlos A. Sierra, Aaron Thompson, Rota Wagai

Summary: Understanding the factors controlling soil organic carbon (C) amount and persistence is crucial for predicting its sensitivity to global change. Different pools of soil organic C show varying degrees of persistence and relationships with environmental factors, with soil depth being the best predictor of C abundance and persistence. Climate, particularly temperature and wetness index, plays a significant role in determining soil C properties and potential loss from protected pools.

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY (2022)

Review Ecology

Bioinvasion impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human health in the Mediterranean Sea

Konstantinos Tsirintanis, Ernesto Azzurro, Fabio Crocetta, Margarita Dimiza, Carlo Froglia, Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Joachim Langeneck, Giorgio Mancinelli, Antonietta Rosso, Nir Stern, Maria Triantaphyllou, Konstantinos Tsiamis, Xavier Turon, Marc Verlaque, Argyro Zenetos, Stelios Katsanevakis

Summary: Biological invasions have significant negative impacts on marine Mediterranean ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. This study reviewed the impacts of marine biological invasions in the Mediterranean Sea and identified 103 alien and cryptogenic species with both negative and positive effects. The main mechanisms of negative effects were competition for resources, ecosystem engineering, and predation. Positive impacts were more common than negative impacts on ecosystem services, while only negative impacts were recorded for human health. There was significant variation among Mediterranean ecoregions in terms of impact mechanisms and the taxonomic identity of impacting species. The magnitude of impact did not appear to increase with residence time. Holistic approaches and experimental research are crucial for understanding and managing biological invasions.

AQUATIC INVASIONS (2022)

Article Biodiversity Conservation

Global divergent trends of algal blooms detected by satellite during 1982-2018

Chong Fang, Kaishan Song, Hans W. Paerl, Pierre-Andre Jacinthe, Zhidan Wen, Ge Liu, Hui Tao, Xiaofeng Xu, Tiit Kutser, Zongming Wang, Hongtao Duan, Kun Shi, Yingxin Shang, Lili Lyu, Sijia Li, Qian Yang, Dongmei Lyu, Dehua Mao, Baohua Zhang, Shuai Cheng, Yunfeng Lyu

Summary: Algal blooms in inland lakes have shown divergent trends over the past 37 years, with increasing and decreasing frequencies and extents observed in different regions. North America experienced an intensification of algal blooms before 1999, followed by a decrease in severity after the 2000s. Asia had the strongest intensification of algal blooms, followed by South America, Africa, and Europe. Anthropogenic factors had slightly stronger contributions to algal bloom intensification compared to climatic drivers.

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY (2022)

Article Biodiversity Conservation

High-resolution mapping of the global silicate weathering carbon sink and its long-term changes

Chaojun Li, Xiaoyong Bai, Qiu Tan, Guangjie Luo, Luhua Wu, Fei Chen, Huipeng Xi, Xuling Luo, Chen Ran, Huan Chen, Sirui Zhang, Min Liu, Suhua Gong, Lian Xiong, Fengjiao Song, Biqin Xiao, Chaochao Du

Summary: This study analyzes the climatic and non-climatic factors influencing the chemical weathering of silicate rocks and produces spatiotemporal datasets of the global silicate weathering carbon-sink flux. The results show an increasing trend in the global carbon sink flux, but also highlight regions with a decreasing trend.

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY (2022)

Article Ecology

Complementary combination of multiplex high-throughput DNA sequencing for molecular phylogeny

Yoshihisa Suyama, Shun K. Hirota, Ayumi Matsuo, Yoshihiro Tsunamoto, Chika Mitsuyuki, Atsuki Shimura, Kunihiro Okano

Summary: The rapid development of DNA sequencing technology has provided new tools for phylogenetic data acquisition, and a complementary combination of multiplex high-throughput DNA sequencing methods allows for quick, simple, and economical analysis in a wide range of genomic studies. In a case study on Japanese fir and related species, MPM-seq and MIG-seq demonstrated efficient molecular phylogenetic analysis with informative results.

ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH (2022)

Review Ecology

Scientists' warning on climate change and insects

Jeffrey A. Harvey, Kevin Tougeron, Rieta Gols, Robin Heinen, Mariana Abarca, Paul K. Abram, Yves Basset, Matty Berg, Carol Boggs, Jacques Brodeur, Pedro Cardoso, Jetske G. de Boer, Geert R. De Snoo, Charl Deacon, Jane E. Dell, Nicolas Desneux, Michael E. Dillon, Grant A. Duffy, Lee A. Dyer, Jacintha Ellers, Anahi Espindola, James Fordyce, Matthew L. Forister, Caroline Fukushima, Matthew J. G. Gage, Carlos Garcia-Robledo, Claire Gely, Mauro Gobbi, Caspar Hallmann, Thierry Hance, John Harte, Axel Hochkirch, Christian Hof, Ary A. Hoffmann, Joel G. Kingsolver, Greg P. A. Lamarre, William F. Laurance, Blas Lavandero, Simon R. Leather, Philipp Lehmann, Cecile Le Lann, Margarita M. Lopez-Uribe, Chun-Sen Ma, Gang Ma, Joffrey Moiroux, Lucie Monticelli, Chris Nice, Paul J. Ode, Sylvain Pincebourde, William J. Ripple, Melissah Rowe, Michael J. Samways, Arnaud Sentis, Alisha A. Shah, Nigel Stork, John S. Terblanche, Madhav P. Thakur, Matthew B. Thomas, Jason M. Tylianakis, Joan Van Baaren, Martijn Van de Pol, Wim H. Van der Putten, Hans Van Dyck, Wilco C. E. P. Verberk, David L. Wagner, Wolfgang W. Weisser, William C. Wetzel, H. Arthur Woods, Kris A. G. Wyckhuys, Steven L. Chown

Summary: Climate warming is a serious anthropogenic stress on the environment, exacerbating the harmful effects of other threats and potentially threatening species preservation and ecosystem services provided by biodiversity. Insects, as central components of many ecosystems, are highly affected by climate change, with effects on physiology, behavior, distribution, and interactions, as well as extreme events.

ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS (2023)

Article Biodiversity Conservation

Data-driven estimates of fertilizer-induced soil NH3, NO and N2O emissions from croplands in China and their climate change impacts

Ruoya Ma, Kai Yu, Shuqi Xiao, Shuwei Liu, Philippe Ciais, Jianwen Zou

Summary: The use of nitrogen fertilizers in Chinese agricultural soils contributes significantly to global nitrogen cycle and climate change impacts. Hotspots of nitrogen emissions were identified in Central south and East regions of China, with rice, maize, and vegetable crops emerging as leading emitters. The study provides region-specific and crop-specific emission factors for gaseous nitrogen forms, which can help in improving global or regional cropland nitrogen emission inventories and mitigation strategies.

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY (2022)