In the quest to understand how biotic interactions respond to climate change, one area that remains poorly explored is how interactions involving organisms other than vascular plants will respond. This study assessed how changes in water availability altered the biotic effects of biological soil crusts and pioneer shrubs in the early life-history stage of tree seedling growth. We found that water availability changed the magnitude of shrub effect and the magnitude and type of crust effect.

Maritime pine forests are a major ecosystem throughout the Portuguese coast and are severely affected by Acacia longifolia invasion. The presented study investigated the diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungi of major plant species in these ecosystems to find possible links between them. We successfully identified 13 fungal taxa and common taxa between all plant species. The finding that Acacia shares symbionts with native plant species is a new facet of its invasive ecology.

In the absence of mosquitoes, diseases such as Malaria and Yellow fever will not exist. Although mosquito larvae have been identified to be a non-selective food to dragonfly larvae, it is unclear if the two naturally co-exist, hence reported as a non-viable strategy for controlling mosquito populations. However, a simple experiment in tropical Africa has shown a significant reduction in mosquitoes following colonization of mosquito larvae habitats by the dragonfly, Bradinopyga strachani.

Plants produce a considerable number of structures of one kind, like leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds, which are not identical. This paper provides an overview of current knowledge on traits that vary subindividually, the magnitude of subindividual variation, and its spatial patterning. Examples are presented on the consequences of subindividual variation for plants and consumers. Emerging links between genetics, epigenetics, subindividual variation, and population ecology are also considered.

A thriving future science community could depend on disruptive technologies to shake up outmoded academic practices.