Tag: invasive species

Behind the paper

Kai Shi | Between Drought and Grazing: The Ecological Secret Behind Solanum rostratum Invasion

In this ‘Behind the Paper’ blog post, author Kai Shi, a PhD student at Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, delves into their article ‘Aridity and grazing are associated with reduced trait complementarity and higher invasion intensity of Solanum rostratum in native plant communities‘. Kai discusses how healthy, diverse plant communities are a natural defense against invasions and shares the unpredictable … Continue reading Kai Shi | Between Drought and Grazing: The Ecological Secret Behind Solanum rostratum Invasion

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haldane prize

Pamela Medina-van Berkum: Plant geographic distribution influences chemical defences in native and introduced Plantago lanceolata populations

2024 HALDANE PRIZE SHORTLIST: Pamela Medina-van Berkum discusses her paper “Plant geographic distribution influences chemical defences in native and introduced Plantago lanceolata populations“, which has been shortlisted for Functional Ecology’s 2024 Haldane Prize for Early Career Researchers: About the paper Plants face many challenges when they spread to new places. Our research focused on a plant called ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata), which is common across … Continue reading Pamela Medina-van Berkum: Plant geographic distribution influences chemical defences in native and introduced Plantago lanceolata populations

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Postcards From The Field

Monica McCard: Exploring Lionfish Ecology—A Research Expedition in Honduras

In this new post, Monica McCard, from Liverpool John Moore University, discusses working on many different non-native aquatic species, with a particular focus on the feeding impacts of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans). For over three decades, lionfish have emerged as one of the most devastating invasive aquatic species in history. Throughout the Western Atlantic, these venomous fish have wreaked havoc on reefs and disrupted ecosystems, … Continue reading Monica McCard: Exploring Lionfish Ecology—A Research Expedition in Honduras

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Behind the paper

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 

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Behind the paper

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

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Behind the paper

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

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Amber Wright - Photo by Laci Gerhart-Barley
Behind the paper

Amber Wright: Sticky toes and grippy claws

lizards use habitat in ways that match their clinging ability In this month’s cover image story we see that lizards vary in their ability to cling to different kinds of surfaces, and how this can lead to species sharing habitat.  How can lizards stick to smooth surfaces? Have you ever seen a lizard run up a window and wondered how they do it? Geckos and … Continue reading Amber Wright: Sticky toes and grippy claws

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