Category: Behind the paper

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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Behind the paper

Edith Singini | Grasses are key to building hidden carbon stores in savannas

In this ‘Behind the Paper’ post, author Edith Singini – a plant ecophysiologist in the Department of Botany at Rhodes University, South Africa – discusses the paper “Savanna soil carbon accrual occurs through particulate organic matter from grass rather than tree biomass, regardless of atmospheric CO2 levels“, which was recently published in Functional Ecology. Edith explores how grasses and trees influence soil organic carbon under current … Continue reading Edith Singini | Grasses are key to building hidden carbon stores in savannas

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Behind the paper

Julia Bebout | Competing annual plants shift traits in parallel

In this Behind the Paper blog post, author Julia Bebout – a PhD student at UC San Diego – delves into the article “Trait responses to competition are mostly parallel among competitor plants but can cause convergence or divergence in key traits”, which was recently published in Functional Ecology! Julia shares how competing annual plants shift traits in parallel, dealing with rattlesnakes, feral honeybees and … Continue reading Julia Bebout | Competing annual plants shift traits in parallel

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Behind the paper

Rosa Jolma | Season matters for parasite heatwave tolerance,  as do species and life stage

In this Behind the Paper blog post, author Rosa Jolma – a PhD candidate at Utrecht University – discusses the paper “Acute heat tolerance (CTmax) of two invasive parasitic copepods differs across species, life cycle stages and acclimation temperatures“, which was published in Functional Ecology in August 2026. Rosa discusses how parasites tolerate heatwaves, working with these parasites in very small volumes of water, and how an interest … Continue reading Rosa Jolma | Season matters for parasite heatwave tolerance,  as do species and life stage

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Behind the paper

Evan Perkowski | Sabotage in the understory: garlic mustard’s late-season havoc on native plant photosynthesis

In this blog post, author Evan Perkowski – a postdoctoral research associate at Texas Tech University – delves into his research article “The negative effects of an allelopathic invader on native plant photosynthesis are amplified after tree canopy closure“, which was published in Functional Ecology in July 2026. Evan shares how garlic mustard “sows the seeds” of havoc on native plant photosynthesis, the challenges of … Continue reading Evan Perkowski | Sabotage in the understory: garlic mustard’s late-season havoc on native plant photosynthesis

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