Publications by authors named "Flavia Montano-Centellas"
Biological nitrogen fixation is a fundamental part of ecosystem functioning. Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition and climate change may, however, limit the competitive advantage of nitrogen-fixing plants, leading to reduced relative diversity of nitrogen-fixing plants. Yet, assessments of changes of nitrogen-fixing plant long-term community diversity are rare.
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- Global change has led to notable shifts in plant species within European temperate forests, resulting in both losses and gains of unique evolutionary lineages.
- The study analyzed 2672 vegetation plots over 40 years, finding that while overall phylogenetic diversity (PD) increased slightly, species lost were more closely related than those gained, suggesting that new species come from a wider range of lineages.
- Specific plant families like Ericaceae and Fabaceae experienced significant losses, while Amaranthaceae and Rosaceae showed gains, but overall trends in species changes were not strongly linked to larger climatic or nitrogen conditions.
The use of English as the common language of science represents a major impediment to maximising the contribution of non-native English speakers to science. Yet few studies have quantified the consequences of language barriers on the career development of researchers who are non-native English speakers. By surveying 908 researchers in environmental sciences, this study estimates and compares the amount of effort required to conduct scientific activities in English between researchers from different countries and, thus, different linguistic and economic backgrounds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMany publications lack sufficient background information (e.g. location) to be interpreted, replicated, or reused for synthesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe literature on mixed-species flocks references a wide variety of bird associations. These studies, however, have used an array of unstructured characteristics to describe flocks, ranging from the temporal occurrence of flocking to the identity and behavioural features of constituent members, with little consensus on which key traits define and characterize a mixed-species flock. Moreover, although most studies report species-specific roles, there is no clear consensus about what these roles signify nor how to define them.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNetwork structure of avian mixed-species flocks decays with elevation and latitude across the Andes.
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci
June 2023
Article Synopsis
- - Birds in mixed-species flocks gain advantages like improved foraging and lower predation risks, but they also face challenges from competition and the need to match activities, and these dynamics differ based on environmental factors.
- - The study analyzed 84 flock networks in the Andes to see how factors like elevation, latitude, forest cover, and human disturbance influenced flock structure, discovering that elevation was the most significant factor affecting flock connectivity and cohesion.
- - Overall, Andean bird flocks were found to be mostly unstructured, but variations in structure were noted, particularly with higher elevation flocks being more connected, while those in areas with denser forest cover showed less cohesion and clearer flock subtypes.
Article Synopsis
- - AVONET is a comprehensive dataset providing functional traits for all bird species, featuring data on ecological variables, morphological traits, and species' range sizes from over 90,000 individuals across 181 countries.
- - The dataset includes both raw measurements and summarized species averages in multiple taxonomic formats, enabling integration with phylogenies, geographical maps, and conservation status information.
- - AVONET aims to enhance research in evolutionary biology and ecology by offering detailed insights into biodiversity, facilitating the testing of theories and models related to global change.
Mixed-species animal groups (MSGs) are widely acknowledged to increase predator avoidance and foraging efficiency, among other benefits, and thereby increase participants' fitness. Diversity in MSG composition ranges from two to 70 species of very similar or completely different phenotypes. Yet consistency in organization is also observable in that one or a few species usually have disproportionate importance for MSG formation and/or maintenance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere is growing realization that intraspecific variation in seed dispersal can have important ecological and evolutionary consequences. However, we do not have a good understanding of the drivers or causes of intraspecific variation in dispersal, how strong an effect these drivers have, and how widespread they are across dispersal modes. As a first step to developing a better understanding, we present a broad, but not exhaustive, review of what is known about the drivers of intraspecific variation in seed dispersal, and what remains uncertain.
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- Seed dispersal is crucial for plant survival and biodiversity, yet existing models often overlook individual variations and complex dynamics.
- Advances in research highlight the significance of understanding intraspecific variation in seed dispersal, which influences plant fitness and community dynamics.
- The authors recommend a shift in focus towards incorporating these variations into models to better predict responses to environmental changes and enhance biodiversity outcomes.
Understanding diversity patterns and the potential mechanisms driving them is a fundamental goal in ecology. Examination of different dimensions of biodiversity can provide insights into the relative importance of different processes acting upon biotas to shape communities. Unfortunately, patterns of diversity are still poorly understood in hyper-diverse tropical countries.
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