Publications
Geometry and evolution of the ecological niche in plant-associated microbes
Publication ID: pub.1128395409
Publication date: 11/06/2020
Keywords: Ecosystem; Fungi; Phylogeny; Plants
The ecological niche can be thought of as a volume in multidimensional space, where each dimension describes an abiotic condition or biotic resource required by a species. The shape, size, and evolution of this volume strongly determine interactions among species and influence their current and potential geographical distributions, but the geometry of niches is poorly […]
Direct and seasonal legacy effects of the 2018 heat wave and drought on European ecosystem productivity
Publication ID: pub.1128392295
Publication date: 10/06/2020
Keywords: Asymmetries; Carbon Fluxes; DH2018; Drought; Ecosystem Productivity; Europe; Extreme; Heatwave; Legacy Effects; Soil; Spring; Summer Conditions; Vegetation Growth; Models; Winter Conditions
In summer 2018, central and northern Europe were stricken by extreme drought and heat (DH2018). The DH2018 differed from previous events in being preceded by extreme spring warming and brightening, but moderate rainfall deficits, yet registering the fastest transition between wet winter conditions and extreme summer drought. Using 11 vegetation models, we show that spring […]
Threats to global food security from emerging fungal and oomycete crop pathogens
Publication ID: pub.1128290434
Publication date: 08/06/2020
Keywords: Agricultural Systems; Banana Wilt; Cassava Root Rot; Climate Change; Crops; Disease Control; Emerging; Factors; Food Security; Fungal and Oomycete Pathogens; Fungicide Resistance; Global; Ireland; Markets; Potato Famine; Soybean Rust; Spread; Wheat Blast and Blotch
Emerging fungal and oomycete pathogens infect staple calorie crops and economically important commodity crops, thereby posing a significant risk to global food security. Our current agricultural systems — with emphasis on intensive monoculture practices — and globalized markets drive the emergence and spread of new pathogens and problematic traits, such as fungicide resistance. Climate change […]
Using gross ecosystem product (GEP) to value nature in decision making
Publication ID: pub.1128309248
Publication date: 08/06/2020
Keywords: China; Conservation of Natural Resources; Decision Making; Ecosystem; Models, Economic; Qinghai; Sustainable Development
Gross domestic product (GDP) summarizes a vast amount of economic information in a single monetary metric that is widely used by decision makers around the world. However, GDP fails to capture fully the contributions of nature to economic activity and human well-being. To address this critical omission, we develop a measure of gross ecosystem product […]
Fires prime terrestrial organic carbon for riverine export to the global oceans
Publication ID: pub.1128166844
Publication date: 03/06/2020
Keywords: Biogeochemical Models; Black Carbon (BC); Carbon Cycle; Dissolved Black Carbon (DBC); Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC); Global; Landscape Fires; Ocean; Organic Carbon (OC); Riverine Export; Sequester; Terrestrial Vegetation
Black carbon (BC) is a recalcitrant form of organic carbon (OC) produced by landscape fires. BC is an important component of the global carbon cycle because, compared to unburned biogenic OC, it is selectively conserved in terrestrial and oceanic pools. Here we show that the dissolved BC (DBC) content of dissolved OC (DOC) is twice […]
Long-term thermal sensitivity of Earth’s tropical forests
Publication ID: pub.1127790772
Publication date: 21/05/2020
Keywords: Acclimatization; Biomass; Carbon; Carbon Cycle; Climate Change; Earth, Planet; Forests; Global; Hot Temperature; Trees; Tropical Climate; Wood
The sensitivity of tropical forest carbon to climate is a key uncertainty in predicting global climate change. Although short-term drying and warming are known to affect forests, it is unknown if such effects translate into long-term responses. Here, we analyze 590 permanent plots measured across the tropics to derive the equilibrium climate controls on forest […]
