The hemiparasite Pedicularis palustris: ‘Ecosystem engineer’ for fen-meadow restoration

‘Ecosystem engineers’ have a critical role in the structure and function of natural communities and need to be considered as focal species to enable successful conservation or restoration of ecosystems. Through introduction and/or managing a single species, an entire community can be influenced. In our study we show that Pedicularis palustris, an endangered hemiparasite in large parts of Europe, can act as an ‘ecosystem engineer,’ speeding up the restoration of undrained fen-meadow ecosystems colonised by species-poor and resistant Carex acuta vegetation. The parasitic behavior of Pedicularis palustris on tall sedges significantly alters local plant diversity, biomass production and soil characteristics. Our experiments show that, under the right hydrological conditions and mowing management practice, several target species for nature conservation can benefit from the gaps it creates in above-ground Carex acuta vegetation and its dense below-ground root system. The more prominent presence of mosses and lower density of the topsoil stimulates the recovery of mesotrophic transition mire with active peat formation. Since this habitat type is specifically protected under the European Habitat Directive, (re)introduction of Pedicularis palustris in similar sites within its geographical distribution range in Europe may be a helpful tool to achieve the imposed obligations for appropriate management and restoration.     

Dispersal-limited species – A challenge for ecological restoration

In recent years, increasing efforts have been directed to the restoration of natural communities affected by human activities. However, restoration success is often reduced because of the lack of dispersal-limited species in the restored site. Numerous rare species are dispersal-limited, having low probabilities to re-colonize restored sites and to establish viable populations. A high species richness enhances the ability of ecosystems to maintain multiple functions. It has been shown that in highly diverse ecosystems such as alpine meadows, tropical forests and coral reefs, the most distinct combinations of functions are supported predominantly by rare species. Thus, more emphasis should be given to support rare species in restoration actions. I suggest that well-known techniques for increasing plant diversity in restoration projects should be complemented with techniques to re-introduce dispersal-limited animals. Re-establishing ecological connectivity might be of benefit for certain species in the long term. However, for the majority of dispersal-limited animal species, translocations of founder individuals might be the only tool to re-establish populations in restored sites.     

Which provenance and where? Seed sourcing strategies for revegetation in a changing environment

Revegetation is one practical application of science that should ideally aim to combine ecology with evolution to maximise biodiversity and ecosystem outcomes. The strict use of locally sourced seed in revegetation programs is widespread and is based on the expectation that populations are locally adapted. This practice does not fully integrate two global drivers of ecosystem change and biodiversity loss: habitat fragmentation and climate change. Here, we suggest amendments to existing strategies combined with a review of alternative seed-sourcing strategies that propose to mitigate against these drivers. We present a provenancing selection guide based on confidence surrounding climate change distribution modelling and data on population genetic and/or environmental differences between populations. Revegetation practices will benefit from greater integration of current scientific developments and establishment of more long-term experiments is key to improving the long-term success. The rapid growth in carbon and biodiversity markets creates a favourable economic climate to achieve these outcomes.     

Social learning in a high-risk environment: incomplete disregard for the ‘minnow that cried pike’ results in culturally transmitted neophobia

Many prey species rely on conspecifics to gather information about unknown predation threats, but little is known about the role of varying environmental conditions on the efficacy of social learning. We examined predator-naive minnows that had the opportunity to learn about predators from experienced models that were raised in either a low- or high-risk environment. There were striking differences in behaviour among models; high-risk models showed a weaker response to the predator cue and became neophobic in response to the control cue (a novel odour, NO). Observers that were previously paired with low-risk models acquired a strong antipredator response only to the predator cue. However, observers that interacted with high-risk models, displayed a much weaker response to the predator odour and a weak neophobic response to the NO. This is the first study reporting such different outcomes of social learning under different environmental conditions, and suggests high-risk environments promote the cultural transmission of neophobia more so than social learning. If such a transfer can be considered similar to secondary traumatization in humans, culturally transmitted neophobia in minnows may provide a good model system for understanding more about the social ecology of fear disorders.     

Can pollination syndromes indicate ecological restoration success in tropical forests?

We evaluated the pollination syndromes of plant species occurring in revegetated patches of riparian Atlantic Forest in order to evaluate the success of restoration process. Between March 2013 and January 2014, the floral traits of all of the flowering plants found in, among four restoration sites of different ages and one reference site, were recorded and used to characterize pollination syndromes. Richness, abundance, and composition of pollination syndromes were related to season, age and width of the forest fragment, species richness and abundance of sampled plants, and also to the quality of the surrounding matrix. There were differences in the composition of syndromes among sampling units and among seasons. Richness and abundance of pollination syndromes varied among climatic periods, the highest values occurred at the end of the dry season and the start of the rainy season. Older, wider, and areas with more plants had higher values of richness and abundance of syndromes. The quality of the surrounding matrix influences only the richness of syndromes. It was concluded that floral traits are good indicators of ecological restoration of riparian forests and that the surrounding matrix contributes to the greater richness of syndromes. However, when planning for active restoration, attention should be given to the proper choice of plant species on the basis of pollination syndromes that should attract pollinators.     

Beguiling and risky: ‘environmental works and measures’ for wetland conservation under a changing climate

In Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin, small-scale engineering works called ‘environmental works and measures’ have been implemented as a basis for river and other wetland conservation. While implementing these, governments seem to have embraced the beguiling notion that scarce water supplies can be divided further, while conserving the environment and maintaining agricultural production. The difficulties in doing this are expected to increase in the face of extreme climate variability. With this scenario as a backdrop, the $280 million (Monetary values ($) in this paper are in Australian dollars (AUD). At the time of writing AUD $1.00 = ~USD $1.02.) Living Murray and related programmes are assessed to see whether microengineering works to manage the hydrology of wetlands make for effective adaptation to water scarcity and climate change or whether it amounts to an overly narrow adaptation or maladaptation. Some measures were found to be substantially beneficial, such as the construction of fishways. However, under these programmes, only 0.6% of the Basin’s wetlands would be inundated and there are significant risks including desiccation of non-target wetlands and further reductions in water allocations for the environment. It is recommended that trade-offs between alternative strategies are assessed as the basis for minimising perverse impacts under changing climatic and hydrological conditions.     

Evidence for ‘dawn’ and ‘dusk’ hourglasses in Pimpla photoperiodic clock

Abstract

Resonance experiments (Nanda‐Hamner protocol) conducted at two temperatures for diapause termination in Pimpla instigator (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) do not support the view that the photoperiodic clock has an oscillatory component, but suggest the presence of a non‐rhythmic timer or hourglass mechanism. These results are best explained by a two hourglasses model, one of which starts at light‐on and measures the photophase and the other is initiated by light‐off and measures the scotophase. The most likely hypothesis is that the ratio of photophase to scotophase lengths is the determining element. Good agreement is obtained between results predicted by two hourglasses model and results observed in Pimpla. The diurnal hourglass continues to run for long time (several months) in constant condition (LL) and does not require to be ‘turned over’ by D/L transition, in contrary to the classical model of hourglass which executes a single act of time measurement in extented phase and then stops. The most simple explanation is that some essential factor of diapause termination is synthesized during photophase and degraded during scotophase. Therefore an independent photoperiodic counter (for sommation of daily informations) is not necessary. The two hourglasses system serves as photoperiodic clock and accumulation of product as counter.     

Ecological processes in alpine ecosystems under changing environment北大核心CSCD

[No abstract available]     

Unpacking the ‘black box’: Improving ecological interpretation of regression-based models

Aim

Many tree species distribution models use black-box machine learning techniques that often neglect interpretative aspects and instead focus mainly on maximizing predictive accuracy. In this study, we outline an interpretative modelling framework to gain better ecological insights while mapping abundance patterns of six North American species.

Location

Continental United States and Canada.

Methods

We develop an innovative procedure using regression trees by stabilizing variance, and mapping dominant rules which we term ‘optimized regression tree bagging for interpretation and mapping’ (ORTBIM). We apply this technique to understand ecological features influencing the abundance patterns of three eastern (Pinus strobus, Acer saccharum and Quercus montana), and three western (Picea engelmannii, Pinus ponderosa and Pseudotsuga menziesii) tree species in North America. For these species, we assess and map the dominant climate–terrain interactions that partly determine abundance patterns in the eastern and western regions. In the process, we examine the role of varying responses and scales and explore finer-scale species climate–terrain niches and non-linear relationships.

Results

Our study emphasizes the prominent role of elevation and heat–moisture variables in the west and the greater importance of seasonal precipitation and seasonal temperature in the east. The abundance patterns under future climate (SSP5-8.5) show climate–terrain habitats shifting northward and westward into Canada and Alaska for the eastern species, and predominantly north-westward for the western species.

Conclusion

Our interpretative modelling framework can be used to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the abundance patterns across the full species range, formulate better predictive models and facilitate improved management practices under climate change.     

Dynamics of colour polymorphism in a changing environment: fire melanism and then what?

Studies of whether disturbance events are associated with the changing genetic compositions of natural populations may provide insights into the importance of local selection events in maintaining diversity, and might inform plans for the conservation and protection of that diversity. We examined the dynamics of a colour pattern polymorphism in a natural population of pygmy grasshoppers Tetrix subulata (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) inhabiting a previously burnt clear-cut area. Data on morph frequencies for wild-caught and captive-reared individuals indicated that the initial dominance of black phenotypes following the fire event was followed by an increased diversity of the polymorphism. This was manifested as the appearance of a novel morph, a decreased incidence of the black morph, and a more even distribution of individuals across alternative morphs following the recurrence of vegetation. We also found that the colour patterns of captive-reared individuals resembled those of their parents and that the degree of within-clutch diversity increased between generations. Our comparisons of morph frequencies across generations and between environments within generations point to a genetic determination of colour pattern, and indicate that the polymorphism is influenced more strongly by selection than by plasticity or migration.     

‘Small Data’ for big insights in ecology

Big Data science has significantly furthered our understanding of complex systems by harnessing large volumes of data, generated at high velocity and in great variety. However, there is a risk that Big Data collection is prioritised to the detriment of ‘Small Data’ (data with few observations). This poses a particular risk to ecology where Small Data abounds. Machine learning experts are increasingly looking to Small Data to drive the next generation of innovation, leading to development in methods for Small Data such as transfer learning, knowledge graphs, and synthetic data. Meanwhile, meta-analysis and causal reasoning approaches are evolving to provide new insights from Small Data. These advances should add value to high-quality Small Data catalysing future insights for ecology.     

Female macaques compete for ‘power’ and ‘commitment’ in their male partners

The formation of male-female social bonds and the resulting competition among females for male partners is a core element of human societies. While female competition for a male partner outside the mating context is well studied in humans, evidence from non-human primates is scarce, and its evolutionary roots remain to be explored. We studied two multi male – multi female groups of wild Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis), a species where females gain benefits from selectively affiliating with particular males. Using a behavioral data set collected over several years, we tested whether females competed over access to male social partners, whether success in competition was driven by female dominance rank, and which male traits were most attractive for females. We found assortative bonding by dominance rank between females and males, which together with females initiating and maintaining contact suggests direct female competition over males. Two male traits independently predicted male attractiveness to females: (1) current dominance rank, a measure of 'power' or a male's ability to provide access to resources, and (2) prior male affiliation with immatures, a measure of a male's potential paternal proclivity or 'commitment' to infant care. Both traits have been consistently identified as drivers of female partner choice in humans. Our study adds to the evidence that female competition for valuable male partners is not unique to humans, suggesting deep evolutionary origins of women's mate choice tendencies for ‘power’ and ‘commitment’.     

Optimizing development time in a seasonal environment: The ‘ups and downs’ of clinal variation

Summary This paper explores the problem of adapting development time to changes in the length of time conditions are favourable for growth and reproduction (season length). It is shown that systematic changes in season length along some gradient such as latitude can generate either simple clines in development time or saw-tooth clines. The relationship between development time and body size gives rise to a corresponding variation in body size. The generation of a saw-tooth cline does not require sharp environmental changes. Both types of clinal variation are observed in insects.     

Castles and Abbeys in Wales: Refugia for ‘Mediaeval’ Medicinal Plants

Summary

The restriction to the walls and immediate vicinity of Welsh castles, abbeys and other ancient settlement of a group of species known to have medicinal properties, coupled with the absence of these species from apparently suitable intervening terrain, suggests relict status from former cultivation. On site archaeological evidence of relevant seed or other macro-remains is sparse from these sites. Arguments in favour of such lengthy survival at these ‘ancient’ locations are discussed, as is the alternative view that only at such sites are suitable habitat requirements met. Species considered include Sambucus ebulus, Hyoscyamus niger, Verbena officinalis and Lamium album.     

Graphene for multi-functional synthetic biology: The last ‘zeitgeist’ in nanomedicine

The high versatility of graphene has attracted significant attention in many areas of scientific research from electronics to physics and mechanics. One of the most intriguing utilisation of graphene remains however in nanomedicine and synthetic biology. In particular, the last decade has witnessed an exponential growth in the generation of novel candidate therapeutics of multiple biological activities based on graphene constructs with small molecules, such as anti-cancer drugs. In this Digest, we summarise the different synthetic strategies and routes available to fabricate these promising graphene conjugates and the opportunities for the design of multi-functional tools for synthetic biology that they offer.     

Between Scylla and Charybdis: renegotiating resolution of the ‘obstetric dilemma’ in response to ecological change

Hominin evolution saw the emergence of two traits—bipedality and encephalization—that are fundamentally linked because the fetal head must pass through the maternal pelvis at birth, a scenario termed the ‘obstetric dilemma’. While adaptive explanations for bipedality and large brains address adult phenotype, it is brain and pelvic growth that are subject to the obstetric dilemma. Many contemporary populations experience substantial maternal and perinatal morbidity/mortality from obstructed labour, yet there is increasing recognition that the obstetric dilemma is not fixed and is affected by ecological change. Ecological trends may affect growth of the pelvis and offspring brain to different extents, while the two traits also differ by a generation in the timing of their exposure. Two key questions arise: how can the fit between the maternal pelvis and the offspring brain be ‘renegotiated’ as the environment changes, and what nutritional signals regulate this process? I argue that the potential for maternal size to change across generations precludes birthweight being under strong genetic influence. Instead, fetal growth tracks maternal phenotype, which buffers short-term ecological perturbations. Nevertheless, rapid changes in nutritional supply between generations can generate antagonistic influences on maternal and offspring traits, increasing the risk of obstructed labour.     

Special Issue on‘‘Biomarkers for Diseases’’

<正>The journal Genomics ProteomicsBioinformatics(GPB)is now inviting submissions for a special issue(to be published in the winter of 2015)on the topic of‘‘Biomarkers for Diseases’’.As an emerging index,disease biomarkers have demonstrated the potential application in diagnosis and prognosis.The detection of the disease indicators at molecular level,DNA,RNA