Simon Haberstroh: Cork oaks under shrub invasion behave differently 

In this new post, Simon Haberstroh from Freiburg University, Germany, presents his latest work ‘Plant invasion modifies isohydricity in Mediterranean tree species’. He discusses the capacity of plants to regulate their hydraulic strategies and remembers his long survey nights in Portuguese oak forests.  About the paper  Our publication in Functional Ecology deals with plant hydraulic strategies, i.e. how plants regulate their water consumption during different … Continue reading Simon Haberstroh: Cork oaks under shrub invasion behave differently 

Randall W. Long: Spenders and savers—Intraspecific support for plant economic theory

In this new post, Randall Long, a new ecological researcher working at the University of California-Santa Barbara, USA, shares his paper: Spenders versus savers: Climate-induced carbon allocation trade-offs in a recently introduced woody plant—recently shortlisted for the Haldane Prize for Early Career Researchers. About the paper As ecologists we assume that trade-offs exist in organisms when limited resources are allocated to multiple competing demands. In … Continue reading Randall W. Long: Spenders and savers—Intraspecific support for plant economic theory

Yanjun Li: Herbivory increases the dominance of invasive alien species

In this post, Ms. Yanjun Li, PhD student at Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, presents her latest work: “Herbivory may mediate the effects of nutrients on the dominance of alien plants.” She discusses how the level and fluctuation of nutrient availability interacts with the trophic level to affect plant invasion. About the paper It is frequently assumed that increases … Continue reading Yanjun Li: Herbivory increases the dominance of invasive alien species