How many flowering plants are pollinated by animals?

Oikos, Journal Year: 2011, Volume and Issue: 120(3), P. 321 - 326

Published: Feb. 21, 2011

It is clear that the majority of flowering plants are pollinated by insects and other animals, with a minority utilising abiotic pollen vectors, mainly wind. However there no accurate published calculation proportion ca 352 000 species angiosperms interact pollinators. Widely cited figures range from 67% to 96% but these have not been based on firm data. We estimated number animals using unpublished community‐level surveys plant pollination systems recorded whether each present was or The animal‐pollinated rises mean 78% in temperate‐zone communities 94% tropical communities. By correcting for latitudinal diversity trend plants, we estimate global animal as 308 006, which 87.5% species‐level plants. Given current concerns about decline pollinators possible resulting impacts both natural agricultural crops, such estimates vital ecologists policy makers. Further research required assess detail absolute dependency their pollinators, how this varies latitude community type, doubt plant–pollinator interactions play significant role maintaining functional integrity most terrestrial ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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Global diversity and geography of soil fungi

Science, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 346(6213)

Published: Nov. 28, 2014

Fungi play major roles in ecosystem processes, but the determinants of fungal diversity and biogeographic patterns remain poorly understood. Using DNA metabarcoding data from hundreds globally distributed soil samples, we demonstrate that richness is decoupled plant diversity. The plant-to-fungus ratio declines exponentially toward poles. Climatic factors, followed by edaphic spatial variables, constitute best predictors community composition at global scale. show similar latitudinal gradients to other organisms, with several notable exceptions. These findings advance our understanding permit integration fungi into a general macroecological framework.

Language: Английский

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A communal catalogue reveals Earth’s multiscale microbial diversity

Nature, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 551(7681), P. 457 - 463

Published: Oct. 31, 2017

Abstract Our growing awareness of the microbial world’s importance and diversity contrasts starkly with our limited understanding its fundamental structure. Despite recent advances in DNA sequencing, a lack standardized protocols common analytical frameworks impedes comparisons among studies, hindering development global inferences about life on Earth. Here we present meta-analysis community samples collected by hundreds researchers for Earth Microbiome Project. Coordinated new methods, particularly use exact sequences instead clustered operational taxonomic units, enable bacterial archaeal ribosomal RNA gene to be followed across multiple studies allow us explore patterns at an unprecedented scale. The result is both reference database giving context sequence data framework incorporating from future fostering increasingly complete characterization Earth’s diversity.

Language: Английский

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Stochastic Community Assembly: Does It Matter in Microbial Ecology?

Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 81(4)

Published: Oct. 12, 2017

Understanding the mechanisms controlling community diversity, functions, succession, and biogeography is a central, but poorly understood, topic in ecology, particularly microbial ecology. Although stochastic processes are believed to play nonnegligible roles shaping structure, their importance relative deterministic hotly debated. The of ecological stochasticity structure far less appreciated. Some main reasons for such heavy debates difficulty defining diverse methods used delineating stochasticity. Here, we provide critical review synthesis data from most recent studies on assembly We then describe both components embedded various processes, including selection, dispersal, diversification, drift. also different approaches inferring observational diversity patterns highlight experimental communities. In addition, research challenges, gaps, future directions research.

Language: Английский

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Evolution and the latitudinal diversity gradient: speciation, extinction and biogeography

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2007, Volume and Issue: 10(4), P. 315 - 331

Published: Feb. 20, 2007

A latitudinal gradient in biodiversity has existed since before the time of dinosaurs, yet how and why this arose remains unresolved. Here we review two major hypotheses for origin diversity gradient. The area hypothesis holds that tropical climates are older historically larger, allowing more opportunity diversification. This is supported by observations temperate taxa often younger than, nested within, taxa, positively correlated with age geographical regions. diversification rate regions diversify faster due to higher rates speciation (caused increased opportunities evolution reproductive isolation, or molecular evolution, importance biotic interactions), lower extinction rates. There phylogenetic evidence clades, palaeontological data demonstrate origination but mixed differences Studies variation incipient also suggest tropics. Distinguishing roles history, represents a challenge future research.

Language: Английский

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The role of spatial scale and the perception of large‐scale species‐richness patterns

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2004, Volume and Issue: 8(2), P. 224 - 239

Published: Dec. 17, 2004

Abstract Despite two centuries of exploration, our understanding factors determining the distribution life on Earth is in many ways still its infancy. Much disagreement about governing processes variation species richness may be result differences perception species‐richness patterns. Until recently, most studies large‐scale patterns assumed implicitly that and mechanisms were scale invariant. Illustrated with examples a quantitative analysis published data altitudinal gradients ( n = 204), this review discusses how effects (extent grain size) can influence processes. For example, hump‐shaped pattern typical c . 50%), monotonic decreasing 25%) also frequently reported, but relative changes readily spatial extent. If we are to attribute impact various influencing decide at which point along temporal continuum they act, should not ask only results vary as function search for consistent these effects. The concludes suggestions potential routes future analytical exploration

Language: Английский

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Meta-analysis and the science of research synthesis

Nature, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 555(7695), P. 175 - 182

Published: March 1, 2018

Language: Английский

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Microbial community structure and its functional implications

Nature, Journal Year: 2009, Volume and Issue: 459(7244), P. 193 - 199

Published: May 1, 2009

Language: Английский

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The Fungi: 1, 2, 3 … 5.1 million species?

American Journal of Botany, Journal Year: 2011, Volume and Issue: 98(3), P. 426 - 438

Published: March 1, 2011

• Premise of the study: Fungi are major decomposers in certain ecosystems and essential associates many organisms. They provide enzymes drugs serve as experimental In 1991, a landmark paper estimated that there 1.5 million fungi on Earth. Because only 70000 had been described at time, estimate has impetus to search for previously unknown fungi. Fungal habitats include soil, water, organisms may harbor large numbers understudied fungi, outnumber plants by least 6 1. More recent estimates based high‐throughput sequencing methods suggest 5.1 fungal species exist. Methods: Technological advances make it possible apply molecular develop stable classification discover identify taxa. Key results: Molecular have dramatically increased our knowledge less than 20 years, revealing monophyletic kingdom diversity among early‐diverging lineages. Mycologists making significant discovery, but remain be discovered. Conclusions: survival groups with which they form associations. also attract attention predators invertebrate animals, pathogens potatoes rice humans bats, killers frogs crayfish, producers secondary metabolites lower cholesterol, subjects prize‐winning research. tools use under development can used world's 1000 years predicted current new acquisition rates.

Language: Английский

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Is There a Latitudinal Gradient in the Importance of Biotic Interactions?

Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics, Journal Year: 2009, Volume and Issue: 40(1), P. 245 - 269

Published: Aug. 31, 2009

Biotic interactions are believed to play a role in the origin and maintenance of species diversity, multiple hypotheses link latitudinal diversity gradient presumed importance biotic interactions. Here we address whether more important at low latitudes, finding support for this hypothesis from wide range Some best-supported examples higher herbivory insect predation tropics, predominantly tropical mutualisms such as cleaning symbioses ant-plant For studies that included regions, were never high latitudes. Although our results additional research is needed, including comparisons rates molecular evolution genes involved interactions, estimates gradients interaction strength, phylogenetic traits mediate

Language: Английский

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