Teaching Nutrient Cycling and Climate Change Concepts Using Excretion Experiments with Common Fish DOI Open Access
Carrie Ann Sharitt, Michael J. Vanni

The American Biology Teacher, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 85(9), P. 500 - 506

Published: Nov. 1, 2023

Many high school students learn about nutrient cycling during biology, environmental science, and agriculture classes. These lessons often focus on soil plants, is usually taught independently from climate change. Scientists know that animals, including fish, can have strong effects (i.e., nitrogen phosphorus) in ecosystems. Additionally, research has shown phosphorus excretion rates of animals increase with water temperatures. We worked to design conduct experiments using common fish (zebrafish) explore the impact change cycling. This allowed hands-on laboratory experience. In 2021, we participating a residential summer program Georgia. Meanwhile, 2022, enrolled local visited university campus two occasions participate experiments, once again Students all three groups showed an increased understanding role ways may these processes, despite variable results experiments. also science processes were more likely feel like part community. believe be done classrooms expand students’ scientific process, cycling,

Language: Английский

Impacts of large herbivores on terrestrial ecosystems DOI Open Access
Robert M. Pringle, Joel O. Abraham, T. Michael Anderson

et al.

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 33(11), P. R584 - R610

Published: June 1, 2023

Language: Английский

Citations

98
The ghosts of ecosystem engineers: Legacy effects of biogenic modifications DOI
Lindsey K. Albertson, L. S. Sklar, Benjamin B. Tumolo

et al.

Functional Ecology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 38(1), P. 52 - 72

Published: Oct. 31, 2022

Abstract Ecosystem engineers strongly influence the communities in which they live by modifying habitats and altering resource availability. These biogenic changes can persist beyond presence of engineer, such modifications are known as ecosystem engineering legacy effects. Although many authors recognize legacies, some case studies quantify effects few general frameworks describe their causes consequences across species or types. Here, we synthesize evidence for legacies how consideration key traits improves understanding likely to leave persistent modifications. Our review demonstrates that ubiquitous, with substantial on individuals, processes. Attributes may promote persistence influential relate an engineer's traits, including its body size, life span living strategy (individual, conspecific group collection multiple co‐occurring species). Additional lines inquiry, recipients respond (e.g. density richness) mechanism burrowing structure building), should be included future research. Understanding patterns these evaluating losing them is important area research needed long‐term ecological responses global change biodiversity loss. Read free Plain Language Summary this article Journal blog.

Language: Английский

Citations

33
Are hippos Africa's most influential megaherbivore? A review of ecosystem engineering by the semi‐aquatic common hippopotamus DOI
Michael D. Voysey, P J Nico de Bruyn, Andrew B. Davies

et al.

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 98(5), P. 1509 - 1529

Published: April 24, 2023

Megaherbivores perform vital ecosystem engineering roles, and have their last remaining stronghold in Africa. Of Africa's megaherbivores, the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) has received least scientific conservation attention, despite how influential activities appear to be. Given potentially crucial influence of hippos, as well mounting concerns threatening long-term persistence, a review evidence for hippos being engineers, effects engineering, is both timely necessary. In this review, we assess, (i) aspects hippo biology that underlie unique potential; (ii) evaluate ecological impacts terrestrial aquatic environments; (iii) compare other extant African megaherbivores; (iv) factors most critical engineering; (v) highlight future research directions challenges may yield new insights into role megaherbivores more broadly. We find variety key life-history traits determine hippo's influence, including semi-aquatic lifestyle, large body size, specialised gut anatomy, muzzle structure, small partially webbed feet, highly gregarious nature. On land, create grazing lawns contain distinct plant communities alter fire spatial extent, which shapes woody demographics might assist maintaining fire-sensitive riverine vegetation. water, deposit nutrient-rich dung, stimulating food chains altering water chemistry quality, impacting host different organisms. Hippo trampling wallowing alters geomorphological processes, widening riverbanks, creating river channels, forming gullies along well-utilised paths. Taken together, propose these myriad combine make megaherbivore, specifically because high diversity intensity compared with capacity transfer nutrients across boundaries, enriching ecosystems. Nonetheless, pollution extraction agriculture industry, erratic rainfall patterns human-hippo conflict, threaten persistence. Therefore, encourage greater consideration engineers when considering functional importance megafauna ecosystems, increased attention declining habitat populations, if unchecked could change way many ecosystems function.

Language: Английский

Citations

20
Dead foundation species drive ecosystem dynamics DOI
Patrick H. Saldaña, Christine Angelini,

Mark D. Bertness

et al.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 39(3), P. 294 - 305

Published: Nov. 1, 2023

Language: Английский

Citations

16
The gene’s-eye view of culture: vehicles, not replicators DOI Creative Commons
Nicolas Baumard, Léo Fitouchi, Jean‐Baptiste André

et al.

Published: Nov. 24, 2023

Language: Английский

Citations

16
Connecting the past with restoration futures: integrating legacy thinking into environmental decision making DOI Creative Commons
Nandita B. Basu, K. J. Van Meter, Elena M. Bennett

et al.

Environmental Research Letters, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 20(3), P. 030201 - 030201

Published: Feb. 18, 2025

Language: Английский

Citations

0
The ecological approach to culture DOI
Nicolas Baumard, Jean‐Baptiste André

Evolution and Human Behavior, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 46(3), P. 106686 - 106686

Published: April 16, 2025

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Large herbivorous wildlife and livestock differentially influence the relative importance of different sources of energy for riverine food webs DOI
Frank O. Masese, Thomas Fuß, Lukas Thuile Bistarelli

et al.

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 828, P. 154452 - 154452

Published: March 9, 2022

Language: Английский

Citations

10
Experimental addition of marine-derived nutrients affects wildflower traits in a coastal meta-ecosystem DOI Creative Commons
Allison M. Dennert, Elizabeth Elle, John D. Reynolds

et al.

Royal Society Open Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 10(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2023

Organismal movement can bring individuals, resources and novel interactions across ecosystem boundaries into recipient habitats, thereby forming meta-ecosystems. For example, Pacific salmon ecosystems receive large marine-derived nitrogen subsidies during annual spawning events, which have a wide range of effects on aquatic terrestrial plant species communities. In this study, we evaluate the cross-ecosystem nutrient growth reproduction. We conducted large-scale field experiment with four treatments: (i) addition pink ( Oncorhynchus gorbuscha ) carcass, (ii) drift seaweed rockweed Fucus distichus ), (iii) both + rockweed, (iv) control. examined treatment leaf fitness-associated floral traits in common estuarine wildflower species. found elevated ∂ 15 N all sampling years treatments carcass additions but did not observe any differences per cent nitrogen. also observed larger area two species, context-dependent increase display limited seed set response to treatments. sum, our study suggests that marine nutrients affect

Language: Английский

Citations

4
Beaver Dams and Fallen Trees as Ecological Corridors Allowing Movements of Mammals across Water Barriers—A Case Study with the Application of Novel Substrate for Tracking Tunnels DOI Creative Commons
Zuzanna Wikar, Mateusz Ciechanowski

Animals, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 13(8), P. 1302 - 1302

Published: April 11, 2023

Physical obstacles within animal habitats create barriers to individual movements. To cross those barriers, specific corridors are used, some of them created by keystone species such as Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber). Their dams on rivers may also increase habitat connectivity for terrestrial mammals, but the significance that function has never been quantified. investigate this, we placed tracking tunnels beaver dams, fallen trees, and-as a control-on floating rafts. Additionally, tested kinetic sand novel substrate collecting tracks and found paws small mustelids precisely imprinted in medium, allowing easy identification. However, needed lump all shrews rodents smaller than water voles (Arvicola amphibius) into one category they can only be detected not identified. The highest mammalian activity was observed provide shelter, offering protection from predators during river crossing or permanent residence, even opportunity hunt invertebrates. Slightly higher diversity logs because proportion mustelids, which select exposed locations scent marking. Our results our body knowledge about an ecosystem engineer tool monitoring mammal activity.

Language: Английский

Citations

3