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Elizabeth Telford | What 10,000 Nodules Taught Me About Savanna Trees…. and Myself 

In this Behind the Paper blog post, author Elizabeth Telford – a postdoc at the the University of Sheffield – explores her research article N2 fixation is linked to the ability to encroach in African savanna trees. Elizabeth discusses the role of nitrogen fixation in how some trees respond to rising CO₂, how this research supported her get back into research, and her advice to … Continue reading Elizabeth Telford | What 10,000 Nodules Taught Me About Savanna Trees…. and Myself 

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Behind the paper

Manuel López-Aliste | Differential effects of agricultural expansion on wild bee taxonomic and functional diversity

In this ‘Behind the Paper’ blog post, author Manuel López-Aliste discusses the paper “Differential effects of agricultural expansion on wild bee taxonomic and functional diversity“, which was recently published in Functional Ecology. Manuel discusses how agricultural expansion affects the variety of bee traits, using an entomological collection to measure functional traits, and the importance of trusting the process. About the paper Our paper focuses on … Continue reading Manuel López-Aliste | Differential effects of agricultural expansion on wild bee taxonomic and functional diversity

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haldane prize

Haldane Prize 2025 | Xiaojing Zhang: Mycelium biomass and community composition impact nutrient concentration in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi at fine spatial scale

2025 HALDANE PRIZE SHORTLIST: Xiaojing Zhang discusses her paper “Mycelium biomass and community composition impact nutrient concentration in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi at fine spatial scale“, which has been shortlisted for Functional Ecology’s 2025 Haldane Prize for Early Career Researchers. About the paper Although AM fungi mediate nutrient exchange between plants and soil, how their own nutrient traits respond to fine scale variability remains unclear. Our … Continue reading Haldane Prize 2025 | Xiaojing Zhang: Mycelium biomass and community composition impact nutrient concentration in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi at fine spatial scale

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haldane prize

Haldane Prize 2025 | Alon Rapaport: Rapid and chemically diverse C transfer from trees to mycorrhizal fruit bodies in the forest

2025 HALDANE PRIZE SHORTLIST: Alon Rapaport discusses his paper “Rapid and chemically diverse C transfer from trees to mycorrhizal fruit bodies in the forest“, which has been shortlisted for Functional Ecology’s 2025 Haldane Prize for Early Career Researchers. About the paper Our research explores the transfer of carbon (C) from trees to ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) in forest ecosystems. Specifically, we aimed to identify the chemical forms … Continue reading Haldane Prize 2025 | Alon Rapaport: Rapid and chemically diverse C transfer from trees to mycorrhizal fruit bodies in the forest

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haldane prize

Haldane Prize 2025 | James Mouton: Behavioural co-option of plant secondary compounds by a cavity-nesting bird is an adaptation against competition and predation

2025 HALDANE PRIZE SHORTLIST: James Mouton discusses the paper “Behavioural co-option of plant secondary compounds by a cavity-nesting bird is an adaptation against competition and predation“, which has been shortlisted for Functional Ecology’s 2025 Haldane Prize for Early Career Researchers. About the paper Plants and other organisms produce many unique chemical compounds that can be useful for animals. Humans are great at taking advantage of … Continue reading Haldane Prize 2025 | James Mouton: Behavioural co-option of plant secondary compounds by a cavity-nesting bird is an adaptation against competition and predation

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haldane prize

Haldane Prize 2025 | Nicole Walasek: The evolution of sensitive periods beyond early ontogeny: Bridging theory and data

2025 HALDANE PRIZE SHORTLIST: Nicole Walasek discusses her paper “The evolution of sensitive periods beyond early ontogeny: Bridging theory and data“, which has been shortlisted for Functional Ecology’s 2025 Haldane Prize for Early Career Researchers. About the paper From bacteria to humans, all organisms tailor their traits to environmental demands. Such phenotypic plasticity tends to be highest early in life, when experiences can have a large … Continue reading Haldane Prize 2025 | Nicole Walasek: The evolution of sensitive periods beyond early ontogeny: Bridging theory and data

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haldane prize

Haldane Prize 2025 | Michael Stemkovski: Ecological acclimation: A framework to integrate fast and slow responses to climate change

2025 HALDANE PRIZE SHORTLIST: Michael Stemkovski discusses his paper “Ecological acclimation: A framework to integrate fast and slow responses to climate change“, which has been shortlisted for Functional Ecology’s 2025 Haldane Prize for Early Career Researchers. About the paper Our paper presents “Ecological Acclimation” as a new conceptual framework to synthesize the various ways by which ecosystems adjust to climate change. The author team intentionally included physiologists, ecosystem … Continue reading Haldane Prize 2025 | Michael Stemkovski: Ecological acclimation: A framework to integrate fast and slow responses to climate change

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haldane prize

Haldane Prize 2025 | João Vitor Messeder: Rethinking the role of colour in avian fruit choices and foraging mechanisms

2025 HALDANE PRIZE SHORTLIST: João Vitor Messeder discusses the paper “Rethinking the role of colour in avian fruit choices and foraging mechanisms“, which has been shortlisted for Functional Ecology’s 2025 Haldane Prize for Early Career Researchers. About the paper Whether in a supermarket or hiking in the tropics, you may have wondered about the amazing diversity of fleshy fruits. Similarly, ecologists have long questioned the functional … Continue reading Haldane Prize 2025 | João Vitor Messeder: Rethinking the role of colour in avian fruit choices and foraging mechanisms

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haldane prize

Haldane Prize 2025 | Kentaro Takagi: Realized flower constancy in bumble bees: Optimal foraging strategy balancing cognitive and travel costs and its possible consequences for floral diversity

2025 HALDANE PRIZE SHORTLIST: Kentaro Takagi discusses the paper “Realized flower constancy in bumble bees: Optimal foraging strategy balancing cognitive and travel costs and its possible consequences for floral diversity“, which has been shortlisted for Functional Ecology’s 2025 Haldane Prize for Early Career Researchers About the Paper Have you ever stopped to watch a pollinator moving among the blossoms? Interestingly, pollinators like bumble bees often show … Continue reading Haldane Prize 2025 | Kentaro Takagi: Realized flower constancy in bumble bees: Optimal foraging strategy balancing cognitive and travel costs and its possible consequences for floral diversity

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Behind the paper

Haldane Prize 2025 | Marion Boisseaux: Shifting trait coordination along a soil-moisture-nutrient gradient in tropical forests

2025 HALDANE PRIZE SHORTLIST: Marion Boisseaux, discusses her paper ‘Shifting trait coordination along a soil-moisture-nutrient gradient in tropical forests’, which has been shortlisted for Functional Ecology’s 2025 Haldane Prize for Early Career Researchers. About the paper Within the framework of the niche theory, the environment acts as a filter, and selects for species in a local community. The concept of environmental filtering explains that not … Continue reading Haldane Prize 2025 | Marion Boisseaux: Shifting trait coordination along a soil-moisture-nutrient gradient in tropical forests

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