Spatio-temporal dynamics of soil bacterial communities as a function of Amazon forest phenology.

Most tropical evergreen rain forests are characterised by varying degrees of precipitation seasonality that influence plant phenology and litterfall dynamics. Soil microbes are sensitive to soil water:air ratio and to nutrient availability. We studied if within-year seasonality in precipitation and litterfall-derived nutrient input resulted in predictable seasonal variation in soil bacterial diversity/microbial functional groups in an Amazonian forest.

The database of the PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems) project.

The PREDICTS project-Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities along a pedo-hydrological gradient in a Central Amazonian terra firme forest.

Little attention has been paid to plant mutualistic interactions in the Amazon rainforest, and the general pattern of occurrence and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in these ecosystems is largely unknown. This study investigated AMF communities through their spores in soil in a 'terra firme forest' in Central Amazonia. The contribution played by abiotic factors and plant host species identity in regulating the composition, abundance and diversity of such communities along a topographic gradient with different soils and hydrology was also evaluated.

Effect of root age on the allocation of metals, amino acids and sugars in different cell fractions of the perennial grass Paspalum notatum (bahiagrass).

This work aimed to compare the allocation of Al, Fe, Cu, Ni, amino acids and sugars in different fractions of root cells of Paspalum notatum with 21 and 120 days old grown in quartz sand. In general younger roots showed a higher content of Al, Fe, Cu Ni, amino acids and sugars, compared to older roots. This can be due to a higher metabolic activity of younger roots and/or to structural changes that can occur with cell ageing.

Common environmental factors explain both ectomycorrhizal species diversity and pine regeneration variability in a post-fire Mediterranean forest.

Natural seedling regeneration and establishment after stand replacing wildfires is influenced by a series of environmental and biological constraints. In this study, we characterized the diversity and structure of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal community associated with post-fire naturally regenerated maritime pine saplings, and individuate the environmental factors responsible for fungal species distribution. We also identify the main environmental factors responsible for maritime pine regeneration variability and assessed the relation between saplings performance and ECM fungal diversity indices.

Impact of wildfire return interval on the ectomycorrhizal resistant propagules communities of a Mediterranean open forest.

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, in particular their spores and other resistant propagules, play an important role in secondary succession processes that facilitate regeneration after disturbance events. In this study, the effects of high and low wildfire frequencies (respectively short and long fire return intervals) on the resistant propagules communities (RPCs) of a Mediterranean open pine forest were compared. Soil samples were collected in four mountain sites with different fire return intervals and used to test ectomycorrhiza development in two hosts, Pinus pinaster and Quercus suber.

Response of birds to climatic variability; evidence from the western fringe of Europe.

Ireland's geographic location on the western fringe of the European continent, together with its island status and impoverished avifauna, provides a unique opportunity to observe changes in bird migration and distribution patterns in response to changing climatic conditions. Spring temperatures have increased in western Europe over the past 30 years in line with reported global warming. These have been shown, at least in part, to be responsible for changes in the timing of life cycle events (phenology) of plants and animals.