Matsuo Itoh discusses his article: ‘Parapatric and sympatric adaptation of Setaria viridis populations in Japan to heterogeneous coastal habitats via trait divergence of plant form, salt spray tolerance and flowering time.’ Maritime ecotypes Maritime plants contain dwarf ecotypes that are adapted for exposure to strong winds and salt spray. The compact form of coastal plants…
Zhenlong Xing, from Jianqing Ding’s lab, Henan University, discusses his article: ‘Foliar herbivory-enhanced mycorrhization is associated with increased levels of lipids in root and root exudates.’ Background At 8:45 p.m., October 21, 2020, the master candidate, Zhongyue Zhang, ran towards me, exclaiming “It is very surprising, the [Arbuscular Mycorrhizal] AM colonization rates are nearly 100%…
Once upon a time… large mammals flourished in the lush tropical forests of South America. Those giants evolved as key ecosystem engineers, acting as top-down regulators of ecological processes, either by predating on other smaller-sized animals, or feeding on plants, eating fruits and seeds, browsing and chewing leaves and branches, or even by trampling and…
We’re delighted to announce that Dr Pierre Mariotte and Dr Amy Iler have recently been appointed as new Senior Editors for Journal of Ecology. Amy has been an Associate Editor with the journal since 2015 and joins the Senior Editor team on a fixed-term maternity cover contract, and Pierre has been an Associate Editor since…
This blog post on ‘Movement of elements in ecosystems’ is part of the BES ‘Key Concepts in Ecology’ series, designed to help ecologists in learning the key topics in ecology! Take a look at the full blog series for a list of key topics you might typically find in an ecology textbook, each providing a…
Most trees die as seedlings When we think about tree mortality, we tend to think about large trees falling in a storm or burning down in a forest fire. Nevertheless, most trees die as small seedlings, often just weeks or months after they have germinated. This is because the young seedlings are vulnerable to extreme…
Rémi Bardou discusses his article: ‘Effects of cold water and aridity on Baja California mangrove survival and ecophysiological traits.’ Introduction Mangroves are extraordinary trees, prospering at the intersection of land and sea. These trees are pivotal in coastal ecosystems, supporting marine life and biodiversity. They also serve as natural barriers, safeguarding shorelines from erosion and…
This work came up on a solid and long-lasting collaboration between four institutions (from Spain, Mexico, Netherlands and Switzerland). This collaboration focussed, to a large extent, on investigating the ecological drivers and consequences of species interactions in natural or agro-forestry systems. Our research has focused on understanding the role of “bottom-up” factors (e.g., variation in…
This blog post on ‘Community succession’ is part of the BES ‘Key Concepts in Ecology’ series, designed to help ecologists in learning the key topics in ecology! Take a look at the full series for a list of key topics you might typically find in an ecology textbook, each providing a quick introduction to the…
Hailey Mount discusses her recent article: ‘Drought tolerant grassland species are generally more resistant to competition.’ Background The success of the different plants in a community depends both on the available resources and the intensity of local competition for those resources. To conserve and restore plant communities in the face of our changing climate, we…
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