On the Use of Taxon Names in Community Ecology

Applied Vegetation Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 28(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Vegetation science and community ecology focus on ecosystems composed of multiple species other taxonomic ranks, such as subspecies. Scientific work in these fields requires accurate identification taxa the field recording them using standardized scientific names. However, journal editors, we frequently encounter manuscripts where authors misunderstand nomenclature, leading to errors making articles challenging for readers follow. Here, highlight some practices that believe should be improved benefit vegetation ecology. For many years, Author Guidelines Applied Science Journal have stated: "Refer a source unified nomenclature plant or units, e.g., standard flora, checklist, monograph, well-established online database … Do not use author citation taxon names text unless it is really needed disambiguation". Still, burden tables their with lists citations, sometimes numerous typos that, unfortunately, reveal lack familiarity nomenclature. Why do continue follow this practice, despite renowned taxonomists (Garnock-Jones Webb 1996; Fischer 2000, 2015; Meier 2017) having long emphasized its futility? example, Garnock-Jones (1996) argued citations "places an unnecessary, confusing, botanists who are concerned nomenclatural niceties, adds no useful information papers". They concluded "are only essential certain kinds discussions". It appears ecologists users purpose citations. Some may including provides more definition taxon, while others simply because they see peers doing so feel appear "more scientific". According International Code Nomenclature algae, fungi, plants (Turland et al. 2018), part name. The code says citing name desirable, particularly publications dealing taxonomy (Article 46.1). (2000, 2015) outlined detail why non-taxonomic works redundant though arguments received limited international attention were published local journals German. Similar recommendations made by (2017) regarding animal summarize key points. An shortened reference original description type. Each includes genetically morphologically variable populations, defined boundaries taxa. In contrast, type single element (a voucher specimen case infraspecific taxa), which represents specific (sometimes extreme) variation within taxon. If circumscription (taxon concept) changes, through splitting into two merging others, does change. if Fagus sylvatica L. split species, F. orientalis Lipsky, containing retains name, change (see Jansen Dengler 2010 examples). Therefore, adding clarify recorded field. Moreover, described ago, vague confusing respect current concept. Additionally, same used different but also completely 2000 To accurately define ecological publications, modern resource flora key, checklist prepared experienced study region. These resources provide necessary concepts, either explicitly descriptions characters listed implicitly listing all recognized area. author's contribute clarity. Authors often state "the has been standardised according XY". standardizing alone insufficient. Community ensure both concepts reliable manual checklist. describe methods identification, include collecting specimens specialists, especially regions little-known biota (Simon 2018). When compiling records from various databases, careful given reconciling sources (Jansen 2010). indeed important cases homonyms, i.e., spelled identically refer types Koeleria cristata (L.) Bertol. Pers. currently classified genera (Rostraria Koeleria, respectively; Euro+Med 2024). homonyms rare usually resolved manuals checklists. referring authoritative sufficient homonyms. data GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2705915, accessed Nov 13, 2024) indicate botanical add thoughtlessly, without actually resolve homonymy issue: most documented photographs belong (not Rostraria), corresponding homonym. A special provided when reporting newly yet included instances, helpful cite rather than just authorities. We will encourage move away outdated unnecessary practice after each burdens our enhancing accuracy quality. Let's leave colleagues makes sense (Benichou 2022). What improves consistent works. Abbreviations can articles, excessive increase cognitive load, reading difficult increasing likelihood misinterpretation. While words easy understand, abbreviations harder decipher. biological literature, common abbreviate first letter genus followed epithet. This approach well focused several genus. instead repeatedly difficult-to-pronounce Escherichia coli, microbiologists E. coli. ecology, genera, lead confusion. require fully out at mention then abbreviated. leads like "P. avium, P. spinosa sylvestris", incomprehensible even hard time recognize meant "Prunus Prunus Pinus sylvestris" avium could Padus Pyrus spinosa. Furthermore, initials might assume genus, here. find elsewhere text, likely skip over list complete understanding. suggest carefully consider whether abbreviating necessary. unavoidable, graphs space, clearer (or abbreviation epithet considered study) ambiguous vulgaris. Every year, editors select one article Editors' Award. year 2024, award was bestowed Lina Lüttgert "Linking trends habitat repeated mapping data" (Lüttgert ongoing changes habitats abundance distribution landscapes research topics (Kapfer 2017; Knollová individual studies area (e.g., based remote sensing) quality, decline characteristic threatened species. assumed correlates always case? (2024) occurrence southwestern Germany last three decades compared occurrence. found habitats, grasslands, correlated habitat. case. deciduous forests increased, forest's decreased. lesson conclusions assessment quantity cannot interpreted There worthy consideration. Rivas, Guerrero-Casado, Navarro-Cerrillo assessed decades, fragmentation functional connectivity seasonally dry Ecuador. loss forest 30%, 75%. Based findings, proposed new reforestation plan prioritizes areas would improve connectivity. Another interesting paper meta-analysis Berto, Ritchie, Erickson (2024), looked effects seed enhancement technologies acid treatment, coating, pelleting, flash flaming priming germination, emergence, shoot root length, biomass native grasses. critical restoration projects grasses seeded. 2320 paired comparisons 102 showed priming, particular, beneficial across life stages benefits observed laboratory greenhouse under conditions. As Wiley, PDF versions now new, compact layout. logo page design indicates owned Association (IAVS). thank associate reviewers Appendix A) voluntary work, maintains high journal. Jiří Danihelka comments previous version Section 1.1. declare conflicts interest. referees served December 1, 2023 November 30, 2024. Those reviewed twice indicated asterisks. Emiliano Agrillo Didier Alard Josu Alday* Batbaatar Amgaa Bianca Andrade Ana Asato Inger Auestad Simonetta Bagella Ignacio Barberis Pierre Binggeli Bernd Blossey Gianmaria Bonari Gudrun Bornette Alejandro Brazeiro Alessandro Bricca Jason Bried Jacques Brisson Ian Brown Jörg Brunet Chaeho Byun Marcelo Cabido Lucas Carbone Cameron Carlyle Mário Cava Giada Centenaro Marc Coles-Ritchie Timo Conradi Anikó Csecserits Miquel De Cáceres Jürgen Dengler* Jingyi Ding Igor Drobyshev Giselda Durigan Mary Edwards David Eldridge Edy Fantinato Fabian Fassnacht Hannes Feilhauer Arianna Ferrara Tora Finderup Nielsen Felícia M. Eduardo Fuentes Federico Gallego Antoine Gazaix Gohar Ghazaryan Thomas W. Gillespie François Gillet Irina Goia Georg Gratzer Joe Greet Andre Grosse-Stoltenberg Mélina Guêné-Nanchen Torbjørn Haugaasen Ramona Heim Thilo Heinken Can Chen Simon Chollet Kwek Yan Chong* Florian Jansen* Janez Kermavnar Elisabeth Kindermann Yves Klinger Klára Klinkovská Shinsuke Koike Johannes Kollmann Asuka Koyama Anna Kuzemko Flavia Landucci Adrián Lázaro-Lobo Leander Leist Jonas Lembrechts Felipe Lezama Hongyuan Li Regina Lindborg María Lipoma Javier Loidi Priscilla Loiola Sofía López-Cubillos Luis López-Mársico Zhijun Lu Antonia Dorea Ludwig S. Macdonald Lise Maciejewski Marco Malavasi Michael Manthey Carolina Martínez-Ruiz Devan A. McGranahan Joao Meira-Neto Jari Miina Lucía Mochi Cecilia Molina José Zsolt Molnár Mostafa Moradi Ondřej Mudrák* Bryan Murray Clementine Mutillod Justice Muvengwi Alireza Naqinezhad Mats Niklasson Robin Pakeman Pedro G. Pañella Cord Peppler-Lisbach Michela Perrone Lisa Petersson Noémie Pichon Valério D. Pillar Vânia Pivello William Platt Arnildo Pott Lara Quaglini Jesus Rangel J. Leighton Reid Triin Reitalu Friederike Riesch Christiane Roscher Denise Rupprecht Eszter Ruprecht Knut Rydgren Victor Santana Andrea R. Schneider Nick Schultz Judit Sonkoly Grégory Sonnier Jean-Paul Theurillat Rachael Thornley Tognetti Maria Teresa Toniato Enrico Tordoni Péter Török Ioannis Tsiripidis Zivanai Tsvuura Kei Uchida Sara Vitalini Viktoria Wagner Karsten Wesche Wolfgang Willner Jianshuang Wu Rafael Xavier Xiaoting Xu Feihai Yu Luiz Zamith Shilu Zheng Florencia Zilli

Language: Английский

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Seed enhancements to improve direct-seeding outcomes for native grasses in mine restoration

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: July 4, 2024

Seed-based restoration in dryland environments is commonly limited by low and sporadic rainfall, extreme temperatures, degraded soils. These challenges are exacerbated mine sites where species seeded onto waste substrates due to availability of topsoil. Native grasses focal species, though the ability deliver seeds targeted presents further constraints seed-based complex seed morphology site attributes. Seed enhancement technologies (SETs) may help mitigate environmental stressors improving handling. In this study, SETs which promote seedling recruitment and/or address edaphic while also handling were tested four Australian native ( Cymbopogon ambiguus , C. obtectus Eulalia aurea Eriachne obtusa ). Flash flaming or acid digestion (depending on species), extruded pellets with without addition topsoil, used combination (with topsoil) evaluated topsoil substrates. Material treated either flash tended produce similar maximum emergence (week 3), final 14), above-ground biomass 14) both when compared un-enhanced (‘control’) treatment. Extruded enhanced (maximum final) soil types, had no effect biomass. containing flamed digested florets, provided most significant benefits emergence, particularly soil. However, unable detrimental effects This study shows promise for post-mine using SETs, highlights potential limitations importance understanding long-term (i.e., beyond emergence) plant outcomes SET applications.

Language: Английский

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Assessing seed pellet formulations to improve native plant restoration under water‐limited conditions

Restoration Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 32(7)

Published: July 7, 2024

Water scarcity, a challenge expected to worsen with climate change, significantly hinders native plant community restoration. Enhancing seed‐based restoration requires methods increase the water availability for seeds and seedlings. Surfactants superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) can improve soil water‐holding capacity infiltration, but their use in seed enhancements remains underexplored. We investigated whether pellets containing surfactants or SAPs could seedling emergence of two species ( Rytidosperma caespitosum Chrysocephalum apiculatum ) common temperate grasslands south‐eastern Australia under different watering treatments. used randomized block design five treatments simulate predicted changes precipitation Australia: ambient, reducing overall volume, frequency while increasing volume maintain ambient treatment volume. explored four enhanced (two SAPs) non‐pelleted seeds. Our results showed that events larger volumes reduced increased emergence. Under these conditions, co‐polymer further C. , synthetic SAP promoted R. . Block decreased emergence, both frequency. A 50% reduction species, regardless enhancement. These findings suggest success conditions when rainfall are frequency, not is reduced.

Language: Английский

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Testing the effects of seed pellet composition to aid in semiarid restoration seeding

Restoration Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 19, 2024

Restoring and revegetating semiarid regions with native perennial grasses is an extremely difficult task, often unsuccessful due to harsh abiotic conditions. We conducted studies evaluating the use of seed pellets improve restoration seeding success in controlled field environments. In a setting, we evaluated impacts clay volume, pellet size, watering rate on seedling establishment disintegration. The amount clay, size pellets, were varied full factorial design. Seedlings emerged from 40% pellets. Clay content did not impact emergence, but larger (2.5 cm) more likely produce seedlings. However, when smaller (1.5 produced seedlings, higher proportion (15 vs. 9%). field, compared monthly, overall summer recruitment, disintegration made 10% 55% broadcast non‐seeded control using randomized Seedling emergence was for both (1.4 seedlings) (1.0 seedling) than treatments (0.5 seedlings), also (0.8 seedlings). Additionally, found that recruitment unaffected by End‐of‐season (2.6 (1.2 seedling). 2.5 cm had slightly indicating may be suited survival

Language: Английский

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Pasture farming for climate change adaptation in a semi-arid dryland in Kenya: status, challenges and opportunities

Discover Sustainability, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 5(1)

Published: Dec. 21, 2024

Climate variability and change pose a major challenge to rain-fed agriculture in Africa. Extreme weather events are projected continue affecting African drylands. Thus, it is essential assess how rural farming communities marginal environments adapting environmental changes. Specifically, there need local adaptations that can help enhance the resilience of socio-economic systems. This study identifies current status, main challenges opportunities pasture for climate adaptation among smallholder farmers semi-arid dryland Kenya. It combines household key informant interviews participatory methods. Agropastoral studied area establishing native perennial pastures, where species selection largely influenced by its forage value. Although agropastoral have adopted farming, they still face multiple including climatic factors, lack sufficient knowledge information, limited access markets, high cost low availability grass seed, destruction grazing herbivores seed predation. Adopting strategies like irrigation systems agricultural technologies, cooperatives development policy formulation facilitate easy inputs relevant markets has great potential increase contribute achieving wider goals. makers should prioritize formulating policies programmes will promote diversification livelihoods support

Language: Английский

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