Aboveground herbivory facilitates belowground mutualists in Ambrosia plants: the role of root fatty acids

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%…

Carine Emer on the intricate interactions between plants and their natural enemies in tropical forests

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…

Meet the Editors! Amy Iler & Pierre Mariotte

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…

Key Concepts in Ecology: Movement of elements in ecosystems

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…

Kristiina Visakorpi asks: how do tree seedlings tolerate extreme climates, and does this matter for future forests?

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…

Mangroves in the desert: unraveling the mystery of mangrove survival in Baja California’s unique environment

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…

Dr Xoaquin Moreira talks species interactions in natural or agro-forestry systems

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…

Key Concepts in Ecology: Community succession

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…

Drought-tolerant species also resist competition in grasslands

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…

The January Art Gallery

Welcome to the January Art Gallery. This month we are excited to feature found objects, video art, AI, linocuts, watercolours, immersive installation, collage and photography. Our artists are Jitka Klimešová, Jenny Jih, Sanji Yang, Pocoyo, Neal Haddaway, Annette Raffan, Iris Hill and Shengdi Cui. Shengdi Cui This art project focuses on exploring the small and…