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Khattak WA, Sun J, Hameed R, Zaman F, Abbas A, Khan KA, Elboughdiri N, Akbar R, He F, Ullah MW, Al-Andal A, Du D. Unveiling the resistance of native weed communities: insights for managing invasive weed species in disturbed environments. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38174626 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Weed communities influence the dynamics of ecosystems, particularly in disturbed environments where anthropogenic activities often result in higher pollution. Understanding the dynamics existing between native weed communities and invasive species in disturbed environments is crucial for effective management and normal ecosystem functioning. Recognising the potential resistance of native weed communities to invasion in disturbed environments can help identify suitable native plants for restoration operations. This review aims to investigate the adaptations exhibited by native and non-native weeds that may affect invasions within disturbed environments. Factors such as ecological characteristics, altered soil conditions, and adaptations of native weed communities that potentially confer a competitive advantage relative to non-native or invasive weeds in disturbed environments are analysed. Moreover, the roles of biotic interactions such as competition, mutualistic relationships, and allelopathy in shaping the invasion resistance of native weed communities are described. Emphasis is given to the consideration of the resistance of native weeds as a key factor in invasion dynamics that provides insights for conservation and restoration efforts in disturbed environments. Additionally, this review underscores the need for further research to unravel the underlying mechanisms and to devise targeted management strategies. These strategies aim to promote the resistance of native weed communities and mitigate the negative effects of invasive weed species in disturbed environments. By delving deeper into these insights, we can gain an understanding of the ecological dynamics within disturbed ecosystems and develop valuable insights for the management of invasive species, and to restore long-term ecosystem sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wajid Ali Khattak
- School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jianfan Sun
- School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, PO Box 215009, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China
| | - Rashida Hameed
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Fawad Zaman
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Forest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration of Poyang Lake Watershed, Jiangxi Agricultural University, PO Box 330045, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, P.R. China
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, PO Box 330045, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, P.R. China
| | - Adeel Abbas
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Khalid Ali Khan
- Applied College, Center of Bee Research and its Products, Unit of Bee Research and Honey Production, and Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, PO Box 9004, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Noureddine Elboughdiri
- Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Ha'il, PO Box 2440, Ha'il, 81441, Saudi Arabia
- Chemical Engineering Process Department, National School of Engineers Gabes, University of Gabes, 6029, Gabes, Tunisia
| | - Rasheed Akbar
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
- Department of Entomology, The University of Haripur, PO Box 22620, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Feng He
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Muhammad Wajid Ullah
- Biofuels Institute, School of The Environmental and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Abeer Al-Andal
- Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, PO Box 960, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Daolin Du
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
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2
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Cienciala P. A case for stronger integration of physical landscape processes in conservation science and practice. Conserv Biol 2023:e14229. [PMID: 38111956 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
I argue that the dynamic nature of contemporary, landscape-shaping (geomorphic) processes deserves more consideration in conservation science and practice. In an analysis of a sample of fundamental terms related to geomorphology and area-based conservation in the Web of Science, I found that the terms co-occurred in <2% of the analyzed entries (titles, abstracts, and keywords) from 2000 to 2020. This result is indicative of the rather peripheral attention that, more broadly, landscape-shaping processes seem to receive in the conservation literature. Among conservation scientists and practitioners, landforms that define the physical structure of habitat are often perceived as largely static, whereas the consideration of their dynamic adjustments to geomorphic processes is often limited to extreme events. I use examples derived from river-floodplain environments to illustrate strong, multifaceted, and reciprocal interactions between biota and various erosional and depositional processes. These ubiquitous interdependencies clearly demonstrate that geomorphic processes are an integral part of ecosystem dynamics at time scales relevant for conservation. Crucially, erosional and depositional processes modulate many environmental impacts of past and current anthropogenic activities. I conclude that the absence of a more explicit and widespread consideration of geomorphic processes in conservation science and practice is surprising and detrimental to their effectiveness. I call for bolstered efforts among the conservation and geoscience communities to better integrate landscape dynamics within the field of conservation. The rise of the ecosystem-based and social-ecological systems approaches to conservation and the growth of interdisciplinary geoscience branches (e.g., biogeomorphology, ecohydraulics, and geoconservation) will facilitate such an integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Cienciala
- Department of Geography & GIS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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3
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Cortés-Molino Á, Linares JC, Viñegla B, Lechuga V, Salvo-Tierra AE, Flores-Moya A, Fernández-Luque I, Carreira JA. Unexpected resilience in relict Abies pinsapo Boiss forests to dieback and mortality induced by climate change. Front Plant Sci 2022; 13:991720. [PMID: 36618643 PMCID: PMC9822712 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.991720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Acute and early symptoms of forest dieback linked to climate warming and drought episodes have been reported for relict Abies pinsapo Boiss. fir forests from Southern Spain, particularly at their lower ecotone. Satellite, orthoimages, and field data were used to assess forest decline, tree mortality, and gap formation and recolonization in the lower half of the altitudinal range of A. pinsapo forests (850-1550 m) for the last 36 years (1985-2020). Field surveys were carried out in 2003 and in 2020 to characterize changes in stand canopy structure and mortality rates across the altitudinal range. Time series of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) at the end of the dry season (derived from Landsat 5 and 7 imagery) were used for a Dynamic Factor Analysis to detect common trends across altitudinal bands and topographic solar incidence gradients (SI). Historical canopy cover changes were analyzed through aerial orthoimages classification. Here we show that extensive decline and mortality contrast to the almost steady alive basal area for 17 years, as well as the rising photosynthetic activity derived from NDVI since the mid-2000s and an increase in the forest canopy cover in the late years at mid and high altitudes. We hypothesized that these results suggest an unexpected resilience in A. pinsapo forests to climate change-induced dieback, that might be promoted by compensation mechanisms such as (i) recruitment of new A. pinsapo individuals; (ii) facilitative effects on such recruitment mediated by revegetation with other species; and (iii) a 'release effect' in which surviving trees can thrive with fewer resource competition. Future research is needed to understand these compensation mechanisms and their scope in future climate change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro Cortés-Molino
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Ciencias de la Tierra, Energía y Medio Ambiente (CEACTEMA), Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
- Departamento de Botánica y Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Linares
- Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad de Pablo Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Benjamín Viñegla
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Ciencias de la Tierra, Energía y Medio Ambiente (CEACTEMA), Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | - Víctor Lechuga
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Ciencias de la Tierra, Energía y Medio Ambiente (CEACTEMA), Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
| | | | - Antonio Flores-Moya
- Departamento de Botánica y Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | | | - Jose A. Carreira
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Ciencias de la Tierra, Energía y Medio Ambiente (CEACTEMA), Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain
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4
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Ogola HJO, Selvarajan R, Tekere M. Local Geomorphological Gradients and Land Use Patterns Play Key Role on the Soil Bacterial Community Diversity and Dynamics in the Highly Endemic Indigenous Afrotemperate Coastal Scarp Forest Biome. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:592725. [PMID: 33716998 PMCID: PMC7943610 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.592725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Southern Afrotemperate forests are small multi-layered and highly fragmented biodiversity rich biomes that support unique flora and fauna endemism. However, little is known about the microbial community and their contribution to these ecosystems. In this study, high throughput sequencing analysis was used to investigate the soil bacterial community structure and function, and understand the effect of local topography/geomorphological formations and land use patterns on a coastal scarp forest. Soil samples were collected from three forest topography sites: upper (steeper gradients, 30-55°; open canopy cover, <30%), mid (less steep, 15-30°; continuous forest canopy, >80%), and lower (flatter gradient, <15°; open canopy cover, 20-65%), and from the adjacent sugarcane farms. Results indicated that forest soils were dominated by members of phyla Proteobacteria (mainly members of α-proteobacteria), Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, and Planctomycetes, while Actinobacteria and to a lesser extent β-proteobacteria and γ-proteobacteria dominated SC soils. The core bacterial community clustered by habitat (forest vs. sugarcane farm) and differed significantly between the forest topography sites. The Rhizobiales (genera Variibacter, Bradyrhizobium, and unclassified Rhizobiales) and Rhodospirallales (unclassified Rhodospirillum DA111) were more abundant in forest mid and lower topographies. Steeper forest topography (forest_upper) characterized by the highly leached sandy/stony acidic soils, low in organic nutrients (C and N) and plant densities correlated to significant reduction of bacterial diversity and richness, associating significantly with members of order Burkholderiales (Burkholderia-Paraburkholderia, Delftia, and Massilia) as the key indicator taxa. In contrast, changes in the total nitrogen (TN), soil organic matter (SOM), and high acidity (low pH) significantly influenced bacterial community structure in sugarcane farm soils, with genus Acidothermus (Frankiales) and uncultured Solirubrobacterales YNFP111 were the most abundant indicator taxa. Availability of soil nutrients (TN and SOM) was the strongest driver of metabolic functions related to C fixation and metabolism, N and S cycling; these processes being significantly abundant in forest than sugarcane farm soils. Overall, these results revealed that the local topographical/geomorphological gradients and sugarcane farming affect both soil characteristics and forest vegetation (canopy coverage), that indirectly drives the structure and composition of bacterial communities in scarp forest soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Joseph Oduor Ogola
- Department of Environmental Science, University of South Africa, Florida Science Campus, Roodepoort, South Africa
- School of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Bondo, Kenya
| | - Ramganesh Selvarajan
- Department of Environmental Science, University of South Africa, Florida Science Campus, Roodepoort, South Africa
| | - Memory Tekere
- Department of Environmental Science, University of South Africa, Florida Science Campus, Roodepoort, South Africa
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5
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Perälä T, Kuparinen A. Eco-evolutionary dynamics driven by fishing: From single species models to dynamic evolution within complex food webs. Evol Appl 2020; 13:2507-2520. [PMID: 33294005 PMCID: PMC7691468 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence of contemporary evolution across ecological time scales stimulated research on the eco-evolutionary dynamics of natural populations. Aquatic systems provide a good setting to study eco-evolutionary dynamics owing to a wealth of long-term monitoring data and the detected trends in fish life-history traits across intensively harvested marine and freshwater systems. In the present study, we focus on modelling approaches to simulate eco-evolutionary dynamics of fishes and their ecosystems. Firstly, we review the development of modelling from single species to multispecies approaches. Secondly, we advance the current state-of-the-art methodology by implementing evolution of life-history traits of a top predator into the context of complex food web dynamics as described by the allometric trophic network (ATN) framework. The functioning of our newly developed eco-evolutionary ATNE framework is illustrated using a well-studied lake food web. Our simulations show how both natural selection arising from feeding interactions and size-selective fishing cause evolutionary changes in the top predator and how those feed back to its prey species and further cascade down to lower trophic levels. Finally, we discuss future directions, particularly the need to integrate genomic discoveries into eco-evolutionary projections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommi Perälä
- Department of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
| | - Anna Kuparinen
- Department of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of JyväskyläJyväskyläFinland
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6
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Mellin C, Peterson EE, Puotinen M, Schaffelke B. Representation and complementarity of the long-term coral monitoring on the Great Barrier Reef. Ecol Appl 2020; 30:e02122. [PMID: 32159898 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Effective environmental management hinges on efficient and targeted monitoring, which in turn should adapt to increasing disturbance regimes that now characterize most ecosystems. Habitats and biodiversity of Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR), the world's largest coral reef ecosystem, are in declining condition, prompting a review of the effectiveness of existing coral monitoring programs. Applying a regional model of coral cover (i.e., the most widely used proxy for coral reef condition globally) within major benthic communities, we assess the representation and complementarity of existing long-term coral reef monitoring programs on the GBR. We show that existing monitoring has captured up to 45% of the environmental diversity on the GBR, while some geographic areas (including major hotspots of cyclone activity over the last 30 yr) have remained unmonitored. Further, we identified complementary groups of reefs characterized by similar benthic community composition and similar coral cover trajectories since 1996. The mosaic of their distribution across the GBR reflects spatial variation in the cumulative impact of multiple acute disturbances, as well as spatial gradients in coral recovery potential. Representation and complementarity, in combination with other performance assessment criteria, can inform the cost-effective design and stratification of future surveys. Based on these results, we formulate recommendations to assist with the design of future long-term coral reef monitoring programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Mellin
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, 15-21 Nubeena Cres, Taroona, Tasmania, 7053, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MC, Townsville, Queensland, 4810, Australia
- The Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - E E Peterson
- Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George St, Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers (ACEMS), 2 George St, Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George St, Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia
| | - M Puotinen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| | - B Schaffelke
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MC, Townsville, Queensland, 4810, Australia
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7
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Marini-Macouzet C, Muñoz L, Gonzalez-Rubio A, Eguiarte LE, Souza V, Velez P. Experimental Analysis of Interactions Among Saprotrophic Fungi from A Phosphorous-Poor Desert Oasis in the Chihuahuan Desert. Mycobiology 2020; 48:410-417. [PMID: 33177920 PMCID: PMC7580559 DOI: 10.1080/12298093.2020.1788271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fungal ecological interactions play a key role in structuring community assemblages. These associations may involve both antagonistic and synergistic relationships, which are commonly influenced by abiotic factors such as nutrient conditions. However, information for extreme, oligotrophic systems remain poor. Herein, interactions among key members of the aquatic transient fungal community (Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium sp., and Coprinellus micaceus) of a low-nutrient freshwater system in the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin, Mexico were studied. Pairwise interaction bioassays were explored in vitro under different nutrient conditions, including carbohydrates-rich, carbohydrates and amino peptides-rich, and low nutrients. Our results indicated that antagonistic patterns prevail among the studied taxa. However, nutrient-dependent changes were observed in Cladosporium sp. shifting to synergy under carbohydrates-rich conditions, suggesting changes in the fungal community composition as a result of nutrient enrichment. Remarkably, our findings contrast with previous work demonstrating mainly synergistic interactions between our tested fungal isolates and co-occurring autochthonous bacteria (Aeromonas spp. and Vibrio sp.) under low-nutrient conditions. This observation may indicate that bacteria and fungi exhibit distinct community-level responses, driven by nutrient conditions. This contributes to the knowledge of fungal community dynamics and interspecific interactions in an oligotrophic ecosystem, highlighting the relevance of nutrient-based shifts and antagonistic interactions in ecosystem dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanza Marini-Macouzet
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Luis Muñoz
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Aldo Gonzalez-Rubio
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Luis E. Eguiarte
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Valeria Souza
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Patricia Velez
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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8
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Ulanowicz RE. Ecological Clues to the Nature of Consciousness. Entropy (Basel) 2020; 22:e22060611. [PMID: 33286383 PMCID: PMC7517151 DOI: 10.3390/e22060611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Some dynamics associated with consciousness are shared by other complex macroscopic living systems. For example, autocatalysis, an active agency in ecosystems, imparts to them a centripetality, the ability to attract resources that identifies the system as an agency apart from its surroundings. It is likely that autocatalysis in the central nervous system likewise gives rise to the phenomenon of selfhood, id or ego. Similarly, a coherence domain, as constituted in terms of complex bi-level coordination in ecosystems, stands as an analogy to the simultaneous access the mind has to assorted information available over different channels. The result is the feeling that various features of one’s surroundings are present to the individual all at once. Research on these phenomena in other fields may suggest empirical approaches to the study of consciousness in humans and other higher animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E. Ulanowicz
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-8525, USA; ; Tel.: +1-(352)-392-6917
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Solomons, MD 20688-0038, USA
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9
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Abstract
Synthetic microbial consortia are a rapidly growing area of synthetic biology. So far, most consortia are designed without considering their environments; however, in nature, microbial interactions are constantly modulated by cellular contexts, which, in principle, can dramatically alter community behaviors. Here we present the construction, validation, and characterization of an engineered bacterial predator-prey consortium that involves a chloramphenicol (CM)-mediated, context-dependent cellular interaction. We show that varying the CM level in the environment can induce success in the ecosystem with distinct patterns from predator dominance to prey-predator crossover to ecosystem collapse. A mathematical model successfully captures the essential dynamics of the experimentally observed patterns. We also illustrate that such a dependence enriches community dynamics under different initial conditions and further test the resistance of the consortium to invasion with engineered bacterial strains. This work exemplifies the role of the context dependence of microbial interactions in modulating ecosystem dynamics, underscoring the importance of including contexts into the design of engineered ecosystems for synthetic biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Junwen Mao
- Department of Physics, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Ting Lu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Qiang Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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10
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Abstract
We propose four postulates as the minimum set of logical propositions necessary for a theory of pulse dynamics and disturbance in ecosystems: (1) resource dynamics characterizes the magnitude, rate, and duration of resource change caused by pulse events, including the continuing changes in resources that are the result of abiotic and biotic processes; (2) energy flux characterizes the energy flow that controls the variation in the rates of resource assimilation across ecosystems; (3) patch dynamics characterizes the distribution of resource patches over space and time, and the resulting patterns of biotic diversity, ecosystem structure, and cross-scale feedbacks of pulses processes; and (4) biotic trait diversity characterizes the evolutionary responses to pulse dynamics and, in turn, the way trait diversity affects ecosystem dynamics during and after pulse events. We apply the four postulates to an important class of pulse events, biomass-altering disturbances, and derive seven generalizations that predict disturbance magnitude, resource trajectory, rate of resource change, disturbance probability, biotic trait diversification at evolutionary scales, biotic diversity at ecological scales, and functional resilience. Ultimately, theory must define the variable combinations that result in dynamic stability, comprising resistance, recovery, and adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke Jentsch
- Disturbance Ecology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research BayCEER, 95440 Bayreuth University, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Peter White
- Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27561, USA
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11
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Nilsson J, Flink H, Tibblin P. Predator-prey role reversal may impair the recovery of declining pike populations. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:927-939. [PMID: 30895606 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Many fish populations have experienced declines in recent decades due to anthropogenic disturbances, such as overfishing and habitat exploitation. Despite management actions, many populations show a limited capacity to recover. This may be attributed to reversal of predator-prey roles, yet empirical evidence to that effect remains scarce. Here, we combine field and laboratory studies to investigate the interaction between pike (Esox lucius), a large keystone top predatory fish, and the small-bodied mesopredatory threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in the Baltic Sea where pike populations have declined. Our data suggest that stickleback predation on pike larvae depletes a large proportion of the recruitment and influences the size distribution through size-selective predation, which is corroborated by a gape-limitation experiment and diet analysis of wild-captured sticklebacks. The effects of stickleback predation are present across several populations and years, and our data suggest that early arrival of sticklebacks has stronger effects on juvenile pike survival. Finally, we use data on pike gape-limitation and the size distribution of sticklebacks to illustrate the process of role reversal. These findings suggest that mesopredator behaviour can reduce recruitment of a top predator species and impair the capacity of populations to recover. This emphasizes predator-prey role reversal as an important ecological and evolutionary driver that influences the outcome of restoration and management actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Nilsson
- Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, EEMiS, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Henrik Flink
- Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, EEMiS, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Petter Tibblin
- Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, EEMiS, Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
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12
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Ware IM, Van Nuland ME, Schweitzer JA, Yang Z, Schadt CW, Sidak-Loftis LC, Stone NE, Busch JD, Wagner DM, Bailey JK. Climate-driven reduction of genetic variation in plant phenology alters soil communities and nutrient pools. Glob Chang Biol 2019; 25:1514-1528. [PMID: 30659721 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We examined the hypothesis that climate-driven evolution of plant traits will influence associated soil microbiomes and ecosystem function across the landscape. Using a foundation tree species, Populus angustifolia, observational and common garden approaches, and a base population genetic collection that spans 17 river systems in the western United States, from AZ to MT, we show that (a) as mean annual temperature (MAT) increases, genetic and phenotypic variation for bud break phenology decline; (b) soil microbiomes, soil nitrogen (N), and soil carbon (C) vary in response to MAT and conditioning by trees; and (c) with losses of genetic variation due to warming, population-level regulation of community and ecosystem functions strengthen. These results demonstrate a relationship between the potential evolutionary response of populations and subsequent shifts in ecosystem function along a large temperature gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian M Ware
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | | | - Jennifer A Schweitzer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | - Zamin Yang
- Bioscience Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | - Christopher W Schadt
- Bioscience Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
| | | | - Nathan E Stone
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona
| | - Joseph D Busch
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona
| | - David M Wagner
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona
| | - Joseph K Bailey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
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13
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Ellison AM, Orwig DA, Fitzpatrick MC, Preisser EL. The Past, Present, and Future of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid ( Adelges tsugae) and Its Ecological Interactions with Eastern Hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis) Forests. Insects 2018; 9:insects9040172. [PMID: 30477155 PMCID: PMC6316461 DOI: 10.3390/insects9040172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The nonnative hemlock woolly adelgid is steadily killing eastern hemlock trees in many parts of eastern North America. We summarize impacts of the adelgid on these forest foundation species; review previous models and analyses of adelgid spread dynamics; and examine how previous forecasts of adelgid spread and ecosystem dynamics compare with current conditions. The adelgid has reset successional sequences, homogenized biological diversity at landscape scales, altered hydrological dynamics, and changed forest stands from carbon sinks into carbon sources. A new model better predicts spread of the adelgid in the south and west of the range of hemlock, but still under-predicts its spread in the north and east. Whether these underpredictions result from inadequately modeling accelerating climate change or accounting for people inadvertently moving the adelgid into new locales needs further study. Ecosystem models of adelgid-driven hemlock dynamics have consistently forecast that forest carbon stocks will be little affected by the shift from hemlock to early-successional mixed hardwood stands, but these forecasts have assumed that the intermediate stages will remain carbon sinks. New forecasting models of adelgid-driven hemlock decline should account for observed abrupt changes in carbon flux and ongoing and accelerating human-driven land-use and climatic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M Ellison
- Harvard Forest, Harvard University, 324 North Main Street, Petersham, MA 01366, USA.
| | - David A Orwig
- Harvard Forest, Harvard University, 324 North Main Street, Petersham, MA 01366, USA.
| | - Matthew C Fitzpatrick
- Appalachian Laboratory, Center for Environmental Science, University of Maryland, 301 Braddock Road, Frostburg, MD 21532, USA.
| | - Evan L Preisser
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA.
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14
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Griffiths JR, Kadin M, Nascimento FJA, Tamelander T, Törnroos A, Bonaglia S, Bonsdorff E, Brüchert V, Gårdmark A, Järnström M, Kotta J, Lindegren M, Nordström MC, Norkko A, Olsson J, Weigel B, Žydelis R, Blenckner T, Niiranen S, Winder M. The importance of benthic-pelagic coupling for marine ecosystem functioning in a changing world. Glob Chang Biol 2017; 23:2179-2196. [PMID: 28132408 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Benthic-pelagic coupling is manifested as the exchange of energy, mass, or nutrients between benthic and pelagic habitats. It plays a prominent role in aquatic ecosystems, and it is crucial to functions from nutrient cycling to energy transfer in food webs. Coastal and estuarine ecosystem structure and function are strongly affected by anthropogenic pressures; however, there are large gaps in our understanding of the responses of inorganic nutrient and organic matter fluxes between benthic habitats and the water column. We illustrate the varied nature of physical and biological benthic-pelagic coupling processes and their potential sensitivity to three anthropogenic pressures - climate change, nutrient loading, and fishing - using the Baltic Sea as a case study and summarize current knowledge on the exchange of inorganic nutrients and organic material between habitats. Traditionally measured benthic-pelagic coupling processes (e.g., nutrient exchange and sedimentation of organic material) are to some extent quantifiable, but the magnitude and variability of biological processes are rarely assessed, preventing quantitative comparisons. Changing oxygen conditions will continue to have widespread effects on the processes that govern inorganic and organic matter exchange among habitats while climate change and nutrient load reductions may have large effects on organic matter sedimentation. Many biological processes (predation, bioturbation) are expected to be sensitive to anthropogenic drivers, but the outcomes for ecosystem function are largely unknown. We emphasize how improved empirical and experimental understanding of benthic-pelagic coupling processes and their variability are necessary to inform models that can quantify the feedbacks among processes and ecosystem responses to a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R Griffiths
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martina Kadin
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Francisco J A Nascimento
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tobias Tamelander
- Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, J.A. Palméns väg 260, 10900, Hangö, Finland
| | - Anna Törnroos
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20500, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Ocean Life, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Kavalergården 6, 2920, Charlottenlund, Denmark
| | - Stefano Bonaglia
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Geology, Lund University, 22362, Lund, Sweden
| | - Erik Bonsdorff
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Volker Brüchert
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Gårdmark
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skolgatan 6, 74242, Öregrund, Sweden
| | - Marie Järnström
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Jonne Kotta
- Estonian Marine Institute, University of Tartu, Mäealuse 14, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Martin Lindegren
- Centre for Ocean Life, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Kavalergården 6, 2920, Charlottenlund, Denmark
| | - Marie C Nordström
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Alf Norkko
- Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, J.A. Palméns väg 260, 10900, Hangö, Finland
- Baltic Sea Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden
| | - Jens Olsson
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skolgatan 6, 74242, Öregrund, Sweden
| | - Benjamin Weigel
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20500, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Thorsten Blenckner
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Susa Niiranen
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Monika Winder
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
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15
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Kvile KØ, Langangen Ø, Prokopchuk I, Stenseth NC, Stige LC. Disentangling the mechanisms behind climate effects on zooplankton. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:1841-6. [PMID: 26831099 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1525130113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how climate influences ecosystems is complicated by the many correlated and interrelated impacting factors. Here we quantify climate effects on Calanus finmarchicus in the northeastern Norwegian Sea and southwestern Barents Sea. By combining oceanographic drift models and statistical analyses of field data from 1959 to 1993 and investigating effects across trophic levels, we are able to elucidate pathways by which climate influences zooplankton. The results show that both chlorophyll biomass in spring and C. finmarchicus biomass in summer relate positively to a combination of shallow mixed layer depth and increased wind in spring, suggesting that C. finmarchicus biomass in summer is influenced by bottom-up effects of food availability. Furthermore, spatially resolved C. finmarchicus biomass in summer is linked to favorable transport from warmer, core areas to the south. However, increased mean temperature in spring does not lead to increased C. finmarchicus biomass in summer. Rather, spring biomass is generally higher, but population growth from spring to summer is lower, after a warm compared with a cold spring. Our study illustrates how improved understanding of climate effects can be obtained when different datasets and different methods are combined in a unified approach.
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16
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Abstract
The addition of spatial structure to ecological concepts and theories has spurred integration between sub-disciplines within ecology, including community and ecosystem ecology. However, the complexity of spatial models limits their implementation to idealized, regular landscapes. We present a model meta-ecosystem with finite and irregular spatial structure consisting of local nutrient-autotrophs-herbivores ecosystems connected through spatial flows of materials and organisms. We study the effect of spatial flows on stability and ecosystem functions, and provide simple metrics of connectivity that can predict these effects. Our results show that high rates of nutrient and herbivore movement can destabilize local ecosystem dynamics, leading to spatially heterogeneous equilibria or oscillations across the meta-ecosystem, with generally increased meta-ecosystem primary and secondary production. However, the onset and the spatial scale of these emergent dynamics depend heavily on the spatial structure of the meta-ecosystem and on the relative movement rate of the autotrophs. We show how this strong dependence on finite spatial structure eludes commonly used metrics of connectivity, but can be predicted by the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the connectivity matrix that describe the spatial structure and scale. Our study indicates the need to consider finite-size ecosystems in meta-ecosystem theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin N Marleau
- Department of Biology, McGill University, , Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Centre for Biodiversity Theory and Modelling, Experimental Ecology Station, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, , 09200 Moulis, France
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17
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Buma
- University of Alaska Southeast, 11120 Glacier Hwy, Juneau, AK, 99801, USA
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