Category: Behind the paper

Lymantria dispar (caterpillar shown here) is one of the most destructive invasive insects in North America. Defoliation by this insect can kill oak trees by draining the trees’ energy reserves. Photo credit: Nathan Oalican.
Behind the paper

Audrey Barker Plotkin: Trees can starve to death from insect defoliation

In this post, Audrey Barker Plotkin of Harvard University talks to us about her latest research where she investigates how invasive insects can starve trees and the importance of protecting temperate forest land. Este blog también está disponible en español I’m a forest ecologist based at the Harvard Forest in the northeastern United States. Because of high levels of global trade and forest cover, our … Continue reading Audrey Barker Plotkin: Trees can starve to death from insect defoliation

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Sam van Wassenbergh at the computer at University of Antwerp, Department of Biology.
Behind the paper

Sam van Wassenbergh: aerodynamics behind lizards resistance to hurricanes

In our latest post, Sam van Wassenbergh from the University of Antwerp discusses his latest work ‘An aerodynamic perspective on hurricane-induced selection on Anolis lizards’. He presents the importance of functional traits trade-offs in species adaptations, highlights the need to use multidisciplinary approaches in science and shares his pride on working with his student. About the paper In our paper, we wanted to understand why … Continue reading Sam van Wassenbergh: aerodynamics behind lizards resistance to hurricanes

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Anina with Erica fascicularis in the Kogelberg
Behind the paper

Anina Coetzee: Diversity is about sharing colours

In this post Anina Coetzee, lecturer at Nelson Mandela university presents her latest work ‘’Facilitation and competition shape a geographical mosaic of flower colour polymorphisms’, discusses when it is important for plants to be similar and shares her passion for fynbos. Our study investigated the phenomenon of morphological diversity that is maintained in the absence of obvious divergent selective pressures. Specifically, in a group of … Continue reading Anina Coetzee: Diversity is about sharing colours

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Lead author during an acorn collecting campaign (photo credit: Jean-Marc Louvet).
Behind the paper

Thomas Caignard: opposite phenotypic and genetic patterns in Pyrenean oaks

In this new post, Thomas Caignard, post-doc at the University of Bordeaux, presents his latest paper ‘Counter-gradient variation of reproductive effort in a widely distributed temperate oak’, discusses the relevance of the rarely found ‘counter-gradients’ and talks about the multi-disciplinary approach is currently using. About the paper Our paper aims to study the phenotypic and genetic variability of one specific life history traits in trees: … Continue reading Thomas Caignard: opposite phenotypic and genetic patterns in Pyrenean oaks

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Michael Kearney and his daughter on a road trip catching lizards for measurement of the functional traits involved in water loss.
Behind the paper

Michael Kearney: Towards a definition of functional ecology 2.0.

Michael Kearney, professor at the University of Melbourne, presents his latest work ‘Where do functional traits come from? The role of theory and models’. He discusses the importance of definitions in science, remembers the beginnings of our journal and shows his (not so) secret passion for lizards. About the paper What’s your paper about? Our paper is about the concept of a functional trait. This … Continue reading Michael Kearney: Towards a definition of functional ecology 2.0.

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Stephanie Schmiege. Photo by Kevin Griffin.
Behind the paper

Stephanie Schmiege: leaf morphology impacts respiration in conifers

In this new post, Stephanie C. Schmiege from Columbia University (New York) presents her work on the physiological differences between flat and needle-leaved conifers, how temperature influences plants respiration mechanisms and the big opportunity she had working in tropical forests. I can think of nothing more inspiring than a grove of majestic pines or hemlocks dancing in the wind.  For as long as I can … Continue reading Stephanie Schmiege: leaf morphology impacts respiration in conifers

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Xavier Morin in the Grand Luberon forest (South-Eastern France)
Behind the paper

Xavier Morin: Finally seeing the forest for the trees? – A model to predict short term functioning and composition of forests

In this post Xavier Morin, Researcher at CEFE, CNRS, University of Montpellier, presents novel perspectives on forest gap models, highlights the complexity of ecological systems and remembers the path that lead him to being a forest scientist. About the paper Forest gap models, the first of which were developed almost 50 years ago, simulate forest dynamics (tree recruitment, growth and death) according to biotic interactions … Continue reading Xavier Morin: Finally seeing the forest for the trees? – A model to predict short term functioning and composition of forests

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Author Hao Chen, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, China
Behind the paper

Hao Chen: plants don’t store all trace elements equally

In his latest work, ‘Global resorption efficiencies of trace elements in leaves of terrestrial plants’, professor Hao Chen presents his findings on micronutrient resorption by plants, introduces his future plants in research and calls for collaborators in studying the role of plants in nutrient cycling.    What’s your paper about? This paper reports the global pattern of leaf resorption of trace elements. Specifically, we extracted data … Continue reading Hao Chen: plants don’t store all trace elements equally

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Rebecca at work in the glasshouse in Western Sydney
Behind the paper

Rebecca Vandegeer: plant silicon defences against herbivores under drought

In this post Rebecca Vandegeer presents her study ‘Leaf silicification provides herbivore defence regardless of the extensive impacts of water stress’, discusses the importance of Silicon for plant growing and the joy of working with plants and insects  My name is Rebecca Vandegeer and I recently completed a postdoctoral research fellowship with the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment at Western Sydney University. There is growing … Continue reading Rebecca Vandegeer: plant silicon defences against herbivores under drought

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Ellen setting up a transect for the plots
Behind the paper

Ellen Welti: Better with a grain of salt. Sodium addition increases leaf herbivory and fungal damage in grasslands

Ellen Welti shares her experience doing her latest research ‘Sodium addition increases leaf herbivory and fungal damage across four grasslands’, the implications of Sodium fertilization for agriculture and her secret cat taming skills. About the paper In this paper, we test how elevated sodium in plants would affect how much herbivorous insects and leaf fungal pathogens consume. This study followed previous research from our group … Continue reading Ellen Welti: Better with a grain of salt. Sodium addition increases leaf herbivory and fungal damage in grasslands

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