Publications by authors named "Tanya Strydom"
Article Synopsis
- Alpine grasslands are crucial for biodiversity but face threats from climate change and environmental shifts, prompting research into how vegetation reacts to these changes for better ecosystem understanding.* -
- Researchers studied plant traits in Puna grasslands in the Peruvian Andes across 1314 meters in elevation, gathering data on plant composition, biomass, climate, and more over three years.* -
- The study resulted in a comprehensive dataset with 3,665 plant records and 54,036 trait measurements, significantly enhancing existing knowledge of local flora by 420% and including many previously undocumented plant traits.*
A roadmap towards predicting species interaction networks (across space and time).
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci
November 2021
Networks of species interactions underpin numerous ecosystem processes, but comprehensively sampling these interactions is difficult. Interactions intrinsically vary across space and time, and given the number of species that compose ecological communities, it can be tough to distinguish between a true negative (where two species never interact) from a false negative (where two species have not been observed interacting even though they actually do). Assessing the likelihood of interactions between species is an imperative for several fields of ecology.
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- The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in how Ecology researchers work, pushing for innovative and collaborative approaches to science.
- The authors highlight eight key insights that help early career researchers tackle challenges during this time, focusing on resilience, remote collaboration tools, and personal strategies.
- The article emphasizes the potential for a more inclusive and supportive scientific culture by utilizing online platforms for communication and engagement within the research community.
As Open Science practices become more commonplace, there is a need for the next generation of scientists to be well versed in these aspects of scientific research. Yet, many training opportunities for early career researchers (ECRs) could better emphasize or integrate Open Science elements. Field courses provide opportunities for ECRs to apply theoretical knowledge, practice new methodological approaches, and gain an appreciation for the challenges of real-life research, and could provide an excellent platform for integrating training in Open Science practices.
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- Plant traits, which include various characteristics like morphology and physiology, play a crucial role in how plants interact with their environment and impact ecosystems, making them essential for research in areas like ecology, biodiversity, and environmental management.
- The TRY database, established in 2007, has become a vital resource for global plant trait data, promoting open access and enabling researchers to identify and fill data gaps for better ecological modeling.
- Although the TRY database provides extensive data, there are significant areas lacking consistent measurements, particularly for continuous traits that vary among individuals in their environments, presenting a major challenge that requires collaboration and coordinated efforts to address.