Fruiting phenology affects the direction of vertical seed dispersal by mammals and birds across mountain ranges.

Vertical seed dispersal towards higher or lower altitudes is an important process for plants' adaptation to climate change. Although many plants depend on animals for seed dispersal, studies on vertical seed dispersal by animals, determined by complex animal behaviours, are scarce. Previous studies hypothesised that animals inhabiting temperate regions disperse seeds uphill in spring/summer and downhill in autumn/winter due to their seasonal movement following the altitudinal gradients in food phenology.

Do exchangeable hydrogens affect the evaluation of partial mycoheterotrophy in orchids? Insights from δH analysis in bulk, α-cellulose, and cellulose nitrate samples.

To evaluate the nutritional modes of orchids associated with 'rhizoctonia' fungi, analyses of hydrogen (δH), carbon (δC), and nitrogen (δN) stable isotope ratios are usually adopted. However, previous studies have not fully accounted for exchangeable hydrogens, which could affect these evaluations. Here, we performed standard δC, δN, and δH analyses on bulk samples.

Radiocarbon signature reveals that most springtails depend on carbon from living plants.

Terrestrial carbon cycling is largely mediated by soil food webs. Identifying the carbon source for soil animals has been desired to distinguish their roles in carbon cycling, but it is challenging for small invertebrates at low trophic levels because of methodological limitations. Here, we combined radiocarbon (C) analysis with stable isotope analyses (C and N) to understand feeding habits of soil microarthropods, especially focusing on springtail (Collembola).

Effect of body lipid content is linked to nutritional adaptation in the acclimation responses of mesic-adapted Paederus to seasonal variations in desiccation stress.

Desiccation stress causes mesic-adapted arthropods to lose their body water content. However, mesic-adapted Paederus beetles can survive over prolonged periods under dry field conditions, suggesting that these beetles adopt an array of water conservation mechanisms. We investigated the water balance mechanisms of field-collected Paederus adults over a 14-month sampling period.

Specialized mycorrhizal association between a partially mycoheterotrophic orchid Oreorchis indica and a Tomentella taxon.

The evolution of full mycoheterotrophy in orchids likely occurs through intermediate stages (i.e., partial mycoheterotrophy or mixotrophy), in which adult plants obtain nutrition through both autotrophy and mycoheterotrophy.

Turnover of Species and Guilds in Shrub Spider Communities in a 100-Year Postlogging Forest Chronosequence.

Disturbance of forests by logging and subsequent forest succession causes marked changes in arthropod communities. Although vegetation cover provides important habitat for arthropods, studies of the changes in their community structure associated with forest succession have been conducted mostly at ground level. To evaluate how forests of different ages contribute to arthropod biodiversity in shrub habitat, spiders were collected from shrubs in 12 forests ranging in age from 1 to 107 yr after logging.

Contributions of detrital subsidies to aboveground spiders during secondary succession, revealed by radiocarbon and stable isotope signatures.

Prey subsidies originating from detritus add nutrients and energy to arboreal communities. Measurement of this subsidy is required in the understanding of how food web dynamics respond to changes in surrounding environments. Shrub spiders are one of the key predators involved in food web coupling.