Behind the paper

Vinícius Brito | When bats run out of room for pollen

In this ‘Behind the Paper’ blog post, author Vinícius Brito – a professor at the Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil – disucusses the article “Pollen landscape saturation on pollinator bodies reduces pollen deposition by subsequently visited bat-pollinated flowers“, which was recently published in Functional Ecology. Vinícius discusses how competition among pollen donors changes over a flower visits, mastering the art of quantum-dot labelling, and pondering … Continue reading Vinícius Brito | When bats run out of room for pollen

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Behind the paper, Translation

Vinicis Brito | Por trás do artigo

Sobre o artigo  Nos animais, os papéis sexuais masculino e feminino costumam estar claramente divididos entre os indivíduos. Porém, em muitas plantas, esses papéis são menos distintos, pois uma mesma flor pode desempenhar tanto a função masculina quanto a feminina. Estamos familiarizados com a ideia de que os animais competem pelo acesso a parceiros, mas é menos evidente se as plantas competem, por meio de … Continue reading Vinicis Brito | Por trás do artigo

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Behind the paper

Paul Huber | Better together: Do siblings help each other cope with environmental stress?

In this ‘Behind the paper’ blog post, author Paul Huber – a PhD student at the University of Bayreuth, Germany – discusses his article “Context-dependent joint buffering of abiotic stress by parental care and sibling interactions“, which was recently published in Functional Ecology. Paul and team tested whether environmental stress increases social interactions in burying beetles. The answer is complex: it depends on who’s present, … Continue reading Paul Huber | Better together: Do siblings help each other cope with environmental stress?

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Behind the paper

Dave Daversa | Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infections proliferate during amphibian terrestrial dormancy

In this ‘Behind the Paper blog post, author Dave Daversa discusses his recently published article “Fungal Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) infections proliferate during amphibian terrestrial dormancy“. Dave shares how he and colleagues found Bd circulating in Yosemite toad populations, the implications of this on re-introduction programs, and more broadly, how exploratory research can lead to practical solutions. When I arrived at Yosemite National Park in the … Continue reading Dave Daversa | Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infections proliferate during amphibian terrestrial dormancy

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Behind the paper, Translation

Por trás do artigo | Lussarina Oliveira Lima

Sobre o artigo O nosso trabalho sobre é mortalidade de plantas durante a seca, focando nos mecanismos fisiológicos subjacentes e nos limiares que levam a mortalidade. Como estes limiares variam consideravelmente de uma espécie para outra, ainda não temos conhecimento sobre esses valores para as árvores das Floresta Tropical Sazonalmente Seca. Para prever a mortalidade da vegetação em grande escala, é necessário compreender como os … Continue reading Por trás do artigo | Lussarina Oliveira Lima

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Behind the paper

Lussarina Lima | What really saves tropical species from drought?

In this ‘Behind the Paper’ blog post, author Lussarina Lima – a PhD student and lecturer – shares insights into the article “Stem water content predicts drought-induced mortality in tropical semiarid species“, which was published in Functional Ecology in August 2026. Lussarina discusses plant mortality during drought, determining whether plants are dead or alive, and the importance of taking risks when you can. A Portuguese … Continue reading Lussarina Lima | What really saves tropical species from drought?

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Behind the paper

Hannah Carle | Trait variation driven by tree size more than environment and shows limited translation to species vital rates

In this ‘Behind the Paper’ blog post, author Hannah Carle – a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University – discusses the article “Trait variation driven by tree size more than environment and shows limited translation to species vital rates“, which was published in Functional Ecology in August 2026. Hannah discusses the challenges of linking traits with species survival … Continue reading Hannah Carle | Trait variation driven by tree size more than environment and shows limited translation to species vital rates

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Behind the paper

Li Zhang | More than a fertilizer: How nitrogen changes coexistence between wheat and weeds 

In this blog post, author Li Zhang – a an Associate Professor at Nanjing Forestry University – discusses the paper “Nitrogen fertilization promotes wheat–weed coexistence through niche differentiation and fitness equalization”, which was recently published in Functional Ecology. Li applies modern coexistence theory to wheat and two dominant grass weeds, showing that nitrogen can promote coexistence through different mechanisms depending on the weed species. Li … Continue reading Li Zhang | More than a fertilizer: How nitrogen changes coexistence between wheat and weeds 

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Behind the paper

Analisa Lazaro-Côté | Predictors of thermal thresholds in climate-impacted fish

In our latest ‘Behind the Paper’ blog post, author Analisa Lazaro-Côté – a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Manitoba – discusses the article “Transcriptional breakpoints as predictors of thermal thresholds in a climate-impacted stenothermal fish“, which was published in Functional Ecology in August 2026. Analisa shares how bull trout may avoid temperatures that activate costly stress responses, sampling fish in the lab, and the … Continue reading Analisa Lazaro-Côté | Predictors of thermal thresholds in climate-impacted fish

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Behind the paper

Bálint Üveges | No gain from pain: European viper venoms did not evolve for self-defence

In this blog post, author Bálint Üveges discusses the paper “No gain from pain: Lack of nociceptor activation suggests no adaptation for defence in the evolution of European viper venoms“, which was published in Functional Ecology in August 2026. Bálint discusses the intensive fieldwork behind this research, testing if the venoms of Eurasian vipers evolved for a predatory or a defensive function and whether causing … Continue reading Bálint Üveges | No gain from pain: European viper venoms did not evolve for self-defence

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