Basic and Applied Ecology

Journal: Basic and Applied Ecology

Abbreviation

Basic Appl. Ecol.

Publisher

Elsevier

ISSN

1439-1791
1618-0089

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Publications 1 - 10 of 42

Status of pollinators and their efficiency in coffee fruit set in a fragmented landscape mosaic in South India
Krishnan, Smitha; Kushalappa, Cheppudira. G.; Shaanker, R. Uma; et al. (2012)
Basic and Applied Ecology
Within-orchard variability of the ecosystem service ‘parasitism’
Mody, Karsten; Spoerndli, Charlotte; Dorn, Silvia (2011)
Basic and Applied Ecology
What happens to the sown species if a biodiversity experiment is not weeded?
Roscher, Christiane; Fergus, Alexander J.F.; Petermann, Jana S.; et al. (2013)
Basic and Applied Ecology
Facilitation by a dwarf shrub enhances plant diversity of human-valued species at high elevations in the Himalayas of Nepal
Parajuli, Rabindra; O'Brien, Michael; Timilsina, Bishnu; et al. (2021)
Basic and Applied Ecology
Facilitation is a global phenomenon that occurs when one species promotes the growth, survival, or reproduction of another species, mostly in stressful environments. However, the importance of facilitation by shrubs in maintaining plant community diversity is not well evaluated in the Himalayas, especially for the richness and conservation of medicinal and human-valued species. Therefore, we aimed to explore the facilitative role of a dwarf shrub species, Berberis angulosa, in maintaining plant composition and richness of human-valued species in the Langtang valley of Nepal's Himalayas. We censused plant species in open patches and beneath Berberis during monsoon and post-monsoon (dry) seasons at three elevations. Total species richness and richness of human-valued species were significantly higher inside the Berberis canopy than in gaps; the former being 39% and the latter 46% greater under shrubs than in open sites. Facilitation by Berberis shrubs promoted plant community diversity irrespective of season and elevation; however, higher differences in mean species richness for both total plant species and human-valued species during the dry season and at high elevation indicated increased facilitation intensity under more stressful conditions. The facilitative effect of Berberis shrubs increased, combining both seasons, overall plant diversity by 19% (total=105), and human-valued species by 16% (total=56). Our results show the importance of facilitation by nurse shrubs in structuring plant communities and protecting medicinal and socio-ecologically important plants, thus enriching ecosystem services in the Himalayas. These results suggest nurse plant species should be incorporated into conservation policies and management strategies for effective biodiversity conservation and sustainability, especially in the face of climate change.
A conceptual framework for urban ecological restoration and rehabilitation
Klaus, Valentin; Kiehl, Kathrin (2021)
Basic and Applied Ecology
Urban greenspace has gained considerable attention during the last decades because of its relevance to wildlife conservation, human welfare, and climate change adaptation. Biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation worldwide require the formation of new concepts of ecological restoration and rehabilitation aimed at improving ecosystem functions, services, and biodiversity conservation in cities. Although relict sites of natural and semi-natural ecosystems can be found in urban areas, environmental conditions and species composition of most urban ecosystems are highly modified, inducing the development of novel and hybrid ecosystems. A consequence of this ecological novelty is the lack of (semi-) natural reference systems available for defining restoration targets and assessing restoration success in urban areas. This hampers the implementation of ecological restoration in cities. In consideration of these challenges, we present a new conceptual framework that provides guidance and support for urban ecological restoration and rehabilitation by formulating restoration targets for different levels of ecological novelty (i.e., historic, hybrid, and novel ecosystems). To facilitate the restoration and rehabilitation of novel urban ecosystems, we recommend using established species-rich and well-functioning urban ecosystems as reference. Such urban reference systems are likely to be present in many cities. Highlighting their value in comparison to degraded ecosystems can stimulate and guide restoration initiatives. As urban restoration approaches must consider local history and site conditions, as well as citizens’ needs, it may also be advisable to focus the restoration of strongly altered urban ecosystems on select ecosystem functions, services and/or biodiversity values. Ecosystem restoration and rehabilitation in cities can be either relatively inexpensive or costly, but even expensive measures can pay off when they effectively improve ecosystem services such as climate change mitigation or recreation. Successful re‐shaping and re-thinking of urban greenspace by involving citizens and other stakeholders will help to make our cities more sustainable in the future.
Tracking sucking herbivory with nitrogen isotope labelling: Lessons from an individual trait-based approach
Neff, Felix; Lehmann, Marco M.; Moretti, Marco; et al. (2022)
Basic and Applied Ecology
Response and effect traits help to understand how changes in ecological communities (e.g. in response to land use) relate to changes in ecosystem functioning. In grasslands, plants and insect herbivores are involved in many ecosystem processes such as herbivory and plant biomass production. Simultaneous changes in the trait composition of both plants and herbivores should affect herbivory rates, with consequences for plant growth and potentially biomass production. The mechanisms underlying these links are little understood for grasses and sucking insects, which build a major part of grassland communities. In a mesocosm experiment, we manipulated the composition of grasses and sucking herbivores (Hemiptera) to study the role of plant traits, herbivore traits and their interaction on herbivory and plant growth. Because sucking herbivory is generally difficult to quantify, we developed a novel experimental setting, in which we labelled plants with 15N isotope. This allowed to quantify 15N uptake and thus sucking rates of individuals. We found that herbivory and simultaneous plant growth reduction are most strongly linked to herbivore species identity. Unexpectedly, herbivory did not increase with herbivore size, but was highest for small species and for thin-bodied Heteroptera. Additionally, herbivory and plant growth reduction depended on the interacting herbivore and plant species, indicating trait matching, which could, however, not be explained with commonly used traits. This indicates that mechanisms linking ecological communities and ecosystem processes are highly context-specific. To understand how global change affects ecosystem functioning, studies need to cover all functionally relevant groups, including plant sap suckers.
Acceptance of near-natural greenspace management relates to ecological and socio-cultural assigned values among European urbanites
Lampinen, Jussi; Tuomi, Maria; Fischer, Leonie K.; et al. (2021)
Basic and Applied Ecology
Grasslands are widespread elements of urban greenspace providing recreational, psychological and aesthetic benefits to city residents. Two urban grassland types of contrasting management dominate urban greenspaces: frequently mown, species-poor short-cut lawns and less intensively managed, near-natural tall-grass meadows. The higher conservation value of tall-grass meadows makes management interventions such as converting short-cut lawns into tall-grass meadows a promising tool for urban biodiversity conservation. The societal success of such interventions, however, depends on identifying the values urban residents assign to different types of urban grasslands, and how these values translate to attitudes towards greenspace management. Using 2027 questionnaires across 19 European cities, we identify the assigned values that correlate with people's personal greenspace use and their preferences for different types of urban grasslands to determine how these values relate to the agreement with a scenario of converting 50% of their cities’ short-cut lawns into tall-grass meadows. We found that most people assigned nature-related values, such as wildness, to tall-grass meadows and utility-related values, such as recreation, to short-cut lawns. Positive value associations of wildness and species richness with tall-grass meadows, and social and nature-related greenspace activities, positively correlated with agreeing to convert short-cut lawns into tall-grass meadows. Conversely, disapproval of lawn conversion correlated with positive value associations of cleanliness and recreation potential with short-cut lawns. Here, people using greenspaces for nature-related activities were outstandingly positive about lawn conversion. The results show that the plurality of values assigned to different types of urban grasslands should be considered in urban greenspace planning. For example, tall-grass meadows could be managed to also accommodate the values associated with short-cut lawns, such as tidiness and recreation potential, to support their societal acceptance.
Genetic discontinuities in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) coincide with fenced transportation infrastructure
Hepenstrick, Daniel; Thiel, Dominik; Holderegger, Rolf; et al. (2012)
Basic and Applied Ecology
Balancing societies’ priorities
Koh, Lian Pin (2011)
Basic and Applied Ecology
Effects of landscape connectivity on the spatial distribution of insect diversity in agricultural mosaic landscapes
Diekoetter, Tim; Billeter, Regula; Crist, Thomas O. (2008)
Basic and Applied Ecology

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