Rongxu Shan and Zilong Ma from Sun Yat-sen University, and Han Y.H. Chen from Lakehead University discuss their article: Functional traits and individual tree growth relationship weakens with stand development but strengthens with increasing temperature. Forests are far more than just collections of trees: they are vibrant, dynamic ecosystems where each tree’s growth strategy plays…
Toyo Vignal, Okinawan Institute of Science and Technology in Japan, discusses her article: Surviving the winds through pattern formation: Mathematical modelling of heather stripes in Scotland. In some remote areas of the Scottish highlands, one can encounter intriguing vegetation patterns consisting of regularly arranged plants and bare soil. The first time I encountered such patterns…
Fia Bengtsson, Lund University and Norwegian Institute of Nature Research, discusses her article: Rapid shifts in bryophyte phenology revealed by airborne eDNA Most of us walk past mosses and liverworts without really noticing them. But these small plants, known as bryophytes, are vital to ecosystems, including in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. They retain water, regulate…
Journal of Ecology aims to bring important ecological work to its wide international audience. It publishes not just strong primary research studies that advance our understanding of ecological principles, but also Review articles that promote discussion and offer new ideas and directions in plant ecology. Our Reviews aim to be more than just a summary…
Sebastian Neun, Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) at the University of Oldenburg, Germany, discusses his article: Light spectrum matters: Interactive effects of light and nutrients on phytoplankton communities and trophic transfer Where is the rainbow? All lakes are characterised by a tightly linked network of food chains, and phytoplankton forms…
Kauane Bordin, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, discusses her article: Growth–survival trade-off in temperate trees is weak and restricted to late-successional stages Temperate forests, such as those in the U.S. and Europe, are a huge part of Earth’s lungs. They provide habitat for countless species, store massive amounts of carbon that help…
Ethan E. Butler, Peter B. Reich, Neha Mohanbabu, and Forest Isbell from the University of Minnesota, USA, Zhong Wang from the Wuhan University inChina, and Xiujuan Qiao from the Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, discuss their article: Elevated CO2 and enriched nitrogen proportionally decrease species richness most at small spatial scales in a…
Alice Ardichvili, Sorbonne University, discusses her article: Spatial context allows the evolution of the control of nitrification by plants Once upon a time The project began a long time ago, in the late 1990s, when my PhD advisor J-C was still a carefree and enthusiastic individual. He and his colleagues observed that a common grass…
Amanda Gallinat, Colby College, USA, and Theresa Crimmins, USA National Phenology Network, discuss their article: Combined volunteer and ecological network observations show broad-scale temperature-sensitivity patterns for deciduous plant flowering and leaf-out times across the Eastern USA Around the globe, the timing of seasonal activity in plants and animals – termed phenology – is shifting substantially…
Chao Guo and Hans Cornelissen, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, discuss their article: Using traits to integrate non-additive effects of species mixtures across ecosystem processes Imagine you want to make a campfire outside your tent in the woods. You have some big wood blocks available, but they are hard to get going. You know from your parents’…
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