Tag: plant-animal interactions

Behind the paper, Translation

Melissa León: Flores rojas de la Cuenca Mediterránea, estrategas del color.

En este post Melissa León, estudiante predoctoral en la Universidad Pablo de Olavide de Sevilla, presenta su artículo ‘Desvelando el misterio de las flores rojas de la cuenca mediterránea: ¿Cómo ser llamativas en un ecosistema donde predominan los himenópteros?’ Aquí nos muestra los distintos métodos de las plantas para atraer polinizadores, las implicaciones evolutivas de estos métodos, y su pasión por la ecología. Una versión … Continue reading Melissa León: Flores rojas de la Cuenca Mediterránea, estrategas del color.

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Behind the paper

María Natalia Lescano: The complex role of bottom-up cascading effects: Excess nutrients make aphids less attractive to mutualistic ants

In our latest post, María Natalia Lescano, researcher at CONICET and University of Comahue, discusses their paper ‘Excessive nutrient input induces an ecological cost for aphids by modifying their attractiveness towards mutualist ants’, whilst also showcasing their fantastic tri-trophic study system and discussing the importance of cascading effects in ecosystems. About the paper Ecological stoichiometry considers the balance of energy and elements on organisms and … Continue reading María Natalia Lescano: The complex role of bottom-up cascading effects: Excess nutrients make aphids less attractive to mutualistic ants

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Behind the paper, Translation

Las aves frugívoras ajustan su dieta para alcanzar sus objetivos nutricionales

En nuestra publicación más reciente, el Dr. Pedro Blendinger, profesor de la Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina, analiza su artículo: “Equilibrio de nutrientes y efectividad en la adquisición de energía: ¿las aves ajustan la dieta de frutas para lograr los objetivos de consumo?“. Una versión en inglés de esta entrada de blog está disponible aquí. Acerca del artículo Este es un trabajo inspirado en la … Continue reading Las aves frugívoras ajustan su dieta para alcanzar sus objetivos nutricionales

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Behind the paper

Frugivorous birds adjust their diet to achieve their nutritional goals

In our latest post, Dr. Pedro Blendinger, a professor at the National University of Tucumán, Argentina, discusses their paper: “Nutrient balance and energy-acquisition effectiveness: do birds adjust fruit diet to achieve intake targets?”. A Spanish version of this blogpost is available here. About the paper This work was inspired by cross-collaboration between colleagues with whom we share a common interest in plant-animal interactions. Almost a … Continue reading Frugivorous birds adjust their diet to achieve their nutritional goals

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Behind the paper

Régis Céréghino: Functional redundancy is an insurance against the effects of precipitation change on Neotropical invertebrate communities

In this new post, Professor Régis Céréghino, from University Paul Sabatier (Toulouse, France), presents his paper ‘Functional redundancy dampens precipitation change impacts on species-rich invertebrate communities across the Neotropics’, discusses the importance of collaboration for answering general ecological questions and highlights the necessity to know your study system. About the paper The aim of this study was to understand how biogeographic contexts influence invertebrate community … Continue reading Régis Céréghino: Functional redundancy is an insurance against the effects of precipitation change on Neotropical invertebrate communities

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Natasha de Manincor checking the dynamic headspace material during floral scent extraction in the greenhouse (University of Lille, Plateforme Serre, cultures et terrains expérimentaux). (Photo credits: Leslie Faucher)
Behind the paper

Natasha de Manincor: Geographical floral scent variation depends on pollinators and plant species identity

In this new post, Natasha de Manincor from University of Lille presents her work “Geographical variation of floral scents in generalist entomophilous species with variable pollinator communities”. She highlights the importance of Volatile Organic Compounds for pollination, discusses the mechanisms behind plant intraspecific chemicals variability and shares her passion for fieldwork all over the world. About the paper Plants are limited by their immobility, so … Continue reading Natasha de Manincor: Geographical floral scent variation depends on pollinators and plant species identity

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Victoria outside their grandmother's house in Nyssa, OR, USA
Behind the paper, Uncategorized

Victoria Luizzi: Is it worth it to smell nice? Allocation cost of plants floral fragrance under nutrient stress

In this post Victoria Luizzi, PhD candidate at University of Arizona, presents their work ‘Phenotypic plasticity in floral scent in response to nutrient, but not water, availability in the perennial plant Arabis alpina (Brassicaceae)’, discuss the importance phenotypic plasticity for plants and revisit their experience at Sweden before starting their PhD. About the paper Animal-pollinated plants use a variety of strategies to attract pollinators to … Continue reading Victoria Luizzi: Is it worth it to smell nice? Allocation cost of plants floral fragrance under nutrient stress

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George Perry conducting research.
Behind the paper

George Perry: So, how far might extinct birds have moved seeds?

In this instalment of “Behind the Paper”, Professor George Perry (he/him/his) of the University of Auckland shares with us the background of the paper “Reconstructing ecological functions provided by extinct fauna using allometrically informed simulation models: an in silico framework for ‘movement paleoecology”. About the paper Imagine if you could attach a high-resolution biotelemetric tracker on a dinosaur or a moa or a giant ground … Continue reading George Perry: So, how far might extinct birds have moved seeds?

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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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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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