Yu-Kun Hu, from Lanzhou University, discusses his article: Leaf functional traits predict timing of nutrient resorption and carbon depletion in deciduous subarctic plants Nutrient resorption from senescing leaves is an important way that plants maintain their nutrient balance, meeting more than 1/3 of their total nutrient requirements. Thus, these nutrients are critical for plant growth…
Mario B. Pesendorfer, Institute of Forest Ecology, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, BOKU – University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria, discusses his article: Positive spatial and temporal density-dependence drive early reproductive economy-of-scale effects of masting in a European old-growth forest community In temperate forests, tree populations often produce large bumper crops…
Julia Dieskau, from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, discusses her article ‘Phylogenetic relationships and plant life stage but not biogeographic history mediate priority effects of European grassland plants’ Background What factors determine the composition of plant communities? Many scientists have been exploring this question from various perspectives throughout the past century. Despite their efforts, there are…
Eric Duell, from the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research, discusses his article: ‘Mycorrhizal-herbivore interactions and the competitive release of subdominant tallgrass prairie species‘ Tallgrass prairies of central and eastern North America are characterized by diverse plant communities consisting of grasses and forbs (often called wildflowers or broadleaves) which possess a variety of…
Biological Flora author (and editor) Anthony Davy introduces a fascinating coastal species that offers many more ecological insights than one might imagine. This account of the Sea Campion (Silene uniflora) is the latest contribution to the long-running Biological Flora of Britain and Ireland series. The article itself has a long history: unusually, the authors include…
Huixuan Liao and Qian Gan, Sun Yat-sen University School of Life Sciences, discuss their article: ‘Spatiotemporal interaction of risk-spreading strategies for a seed-dimorphic plant’ Background Maternal modification of offspring stress tolerance is a ubiquitous phenomenon in plant and animal kingdoms that affects population persistence and growth. When looking into this phenomenon, one can’t help but…
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