Ecological Research最新文献

{"title":"Long-distance endozoochory of fleshy-fruited trees by sika deer in Hokkaido, Japan","authors":"Yoshihiro Tsunamoto,&nbsp;Yuichi Osa,&nbsp;Hiroyuki Uno,&nbsp;Konomi Kobayashi,&nbsp;Tomoaki Ikeda,&nbsp;Takuya Asakura,&nbsp;Hino Takafumi","doi":"10.1111/1440-1703.12558","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12558","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Deer affect their habitats in various ways. Many previous studies on the ecological functions of deer have investigated the impact of herbivory on vegetation but have rarely focused on other functions. In this study, we evaluated the seed dispersal function of the sika deer (<i>Cervus nippon yesoensis</i>) in Hokkaido Island, examining the process from foraging to germination. We (1) surveyed the composition of seeds dispersed by wild deer, (2) measured seed recovery rate and gut passage time by feeding trials using three fleshy-fruited trees (<i>Vitis coignetiae</i>, <i>Actinidia arguta</i>, and <i>Rosa rugosa</i>), (3) conducted germination tests using defecated intact seeds, and (4) estimated seed dispersal distance and its seasonal changes using GPS movement data. In total, 73 seedlings of at least 10 species emerged from 181 fecal samples, each weighing ~1 g. The proportion of intact seeds after gut passage varied greatly with plant species and among trials (0.0%–55.0%). The germination rate of intact defecated seeds was similar to (<i>R. rugosa</i> and <i>V. coignetiae</i>) or higher (<i>A. arguta</i>) than that of manually washed seeds. The average seed dispersal distances during the resident period were 594 m for <i>V. coignetiae</i> and 610 m for <i>A. arguta</i>. The average seed dispersal distances during the migration period increased to 3140 m for <i>V. coignetiae</i> and 3617 m for <i>A. arguta</i>, and sometimes exceeded 18,000 m. These findings highlight that sika deer can disperse seeds over long distances, thus contributing to gene flow between distant populations and range expansion to suitable habitats.</p>","PeriodicalId":11434,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Research","volume":"40 4","pages":"602-614"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144666593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Announcement of the Ecological Research Paper Award 2024","authors":"","doi":"10.1111/1440-1703.12557","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12557","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11434,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Research","volume":"40 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144148470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High-resolution digital canopy height models, terrain models, ortho-mosaic photos, and canopy tree crown shapes derived from UAV-borne LiDAR at 22 tree census plots across Japanese natural forests","authors":"Ryuichi Takeshige,&nbsp;Kyaw Kyaw Htoo,&nbsp;Masanori Onishi,&nbsp;Farhadur Md. Rahman,&nbsp;Kazuhiko Hoshizaki,&nbsp;Hideyuki Ida,&nbsp;Masae Iwamoto Ishihara,&nbsp;Akira Itoh,&nbsp;Takayuki Kaneko,&nbsp;Ayumi Katayama,&nbsp;Shigeo Kuramoto,&nbsp;Hiroko Kurokawa,&nbsp;Masayuki Maki,&nbsp;Kazuhiko Masaka,&nbsp;Tatsuro Nakaji,&nbsp;Masahiro Nakamura,&nbsp;Naoyuki Nishimura,&nbsp;Mahoko Noguchi,&nbsp;Atsushi Sakai,&nbsp;Atsushi Takashima,&nbsp;Naoaki Tashiro,&nbsp;Naoko Tokuchi,&nbsp;Hiromi Yamagawa,&nbsp;Yusuke Onoda","doi":"10.1111/1440-1703.12555","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12555","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Recent developments in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology have enhanced the ability to capture precise three-dimensional forest information at a lower cost. This article reports four types of high-resolution digital datasets derived from UAV-LiDAR measurements and associated fieldwork. The dataset includes 5 cm resolution Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) and Canopy Height Models (CHMs), ortho-mosaic photos with sub-2.7 cm resolution, and 4328 tree crown polygons with information on 151 species, stem girth at breast height, and canopy height. Data were collected from 22 approximately 1-ha long-term monitoring plots across Japan, spanning major climate zones from subtropical to subarctic. These plots encompass evergreen conifer, broadleaf and conifer mixed, deciduous broadleaf, and evergreen broadleaf forests. UAV surveys were conducted from May 2022 to October 2023. Based on these data, we also report basic profiles of these natural forests: a median slope of 22.2° (ranging from 2.5° to 35.0° across sites), median canopy height of 19.2 m (10.5–25.2 m), median maximum canopy height of 29.4 m (17.6–39.8 m), median gap ratios of 1.7% (0–10.7%) and 7.7% (0–28.9%) depending on gap definitions, and median crown area of 42.9 m² (10.7–80.2 m²) for canopy trees. This dataset is the first publicly available collection of forest structure and individual tree crown information for Japanese natural forests. We hope this dataset will be useful for a wide range of studies and analyses, from site-specific case studies to global-scale meta-analyses. The metadata is available in MetaCat in JaLTER at https://jalter.diasjp.net/data/ERDP-2025-04.</p>","PeriodicalId":11434,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Research","volume":"40 4","pages":"657-670"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1440-1703.12555","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144666588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal variability and cloud impacts in diffuse ratio, clearness index, and spectral characteristic of solar radiation in a temperate monsoon region","authors":"Amila Nuwan Siriwardana,&nbsp;Atsushi Kume","doi":"10.1111/1440-1703.12556","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12556","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Solar radiation (SR) dynamics significantly influence plant growth, development, and ecosystems, serving as a primary energy source and an essential environmental signal. Plants sense SR through photoreceptors, with the ratios between specific wavelength ranges being particularly significant. Therefore, we refer to these as critical wavelength ratios (CWRs). The diffuse fraction of solar radiation (DF) is a key factor shaping light quality and distribution within the plant canopy. To evaluate the potential effects of DF and CWRs on plants in an outdoor environment, we analyzed 1 year of SR spectral data collected using a rotating shadow-band spectroradiometer in Fukuoka, Japan. Cloudy or partly cloudy skies dominated throughout the year. The ratios of UV-A/UV-B, red (R)/blue (B), and R/green (G) increased in winter and decreased in summer. In contrast, the ratios of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)/global solar radiation (GSR), UV/GSR, UV/PAR, B/G, R/far-red, and UV-B/B increased during summer and decreased in winter. Most CWRs were significantly correlated with the DF. The clearness index (CI) exhibited a strong correlation with DF and CWRs. A synergistic effect of air mass (AM), atmospheric water vapor pressure (VP), and CI on specific CWRs was revealed. Future climate change-driven increases in VP and DF, coupled with reductions in CI, are expected to trigger complex changes in plant growth and flowering by altering light signals and enhancing photosynthesis through diffuse light fertilization. Integrating VP, AM, DF, and CI dynamics into climate models could enhance predictions of atmospheric, ecological, and plant physiological responses.</p>","PeriodicalId":11434,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Research","volume":"40 4","pages":"586-601"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1440-1703.12556","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144666566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Construction of digital databases of crop-growing calendars for Japanese crops","authors":"Atsushi Wakai,&nbsp;Eri Tanaka,&nbsp;Gen Sakurai","doi":"10.1111/1440-1703.12553","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12553","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Accurate information on agricultural productivity is crucial to addressing the challenges faced by agriculture, including pest threats and climate change. Crop-growing calendars represent a vital source of information for understanding and managing agroecosystems and for enhancing agricultural productivity. This information is also essential for studying the relationship between crop growth stages and pest activity patterns, which is crucial for developing effective pest management strategies. This study systematically digitized the Japanese government's publicly available paper-based statistical data on crop-growing calendars for grain crops, vegetables, and fruit trees across the country. The paper provides a detailed account of the contents of the paper-based statistical data, the digitization procedure, the method for creating the database, and the database structure. This work represents a significant step toward making crop-growing calendar data more accessible and useful for agricultural research and applications. The detailed Metadata and complete data set are available in MetaCat in JaLTER at https://jalter.diasjp.net/data/ERDP-2025-03.</p>","PeriodicalId":11434,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Research","volume":"40 4","pages":"644-656"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1440-1703.12553","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144666485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Abiotic factors and plant traits affect the soil microbial properties in forests across the Japanese archipelago","authors":"Toshiki Orita,&nbsp;Takuo Hishi,&nbsp;Keiko Kishimoto-Yamada,&nbsp;Hiroko Kurokawa,&nbsp;Masahiro Ohta,&nbsp;Fujio Hyodo","doi":"10.1111/1440-1703.12552","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12552","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding the factors that control the structure of soil microbial communities is crucial to predict the responses of terrestrial ecosystems to global change. Microbial biomass, composition, and physiological and nutritional states are known to be influenced by abiotic and biotic factors. However, how they vary and respond collectively to abiotic and biotic factors, particularly in forest ecosystems at the landscape scale, remains unclear. This study applied statistical models to explain variations in soil microbial properties from 18 forest sites covering a wide range of annual temperatures, soil properties, stand ages, and plant leaf traits in the Japanese archipelago. Soil microbial properties were evaluated using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. Our results show that fungal PLFA concentration was mainly explained by soil carbon (C) concentration, whereas bacterial and total PLFA concentrations were predominantly determined by soil nitrogen (N) concentration. The ratio of fungal to bacterial PLFA was best explained by the soil C:N ratio. Most variations in microbial composition and physiological and nutritional states were mainly explained by the mean annual temperature and soil pH. Community-weighted means of plant traits, particularly leaf dry matter content (LDMC), also contributed to explaining the variation in bacterial and total PLFA concentrations as well as physiological and nutritional states indicative of temperature and nutritional stress. These results suggest that abiotic factors and plant traits can shape the microbial community structure in forest soils, and that global warming may affect the soil system by altering the physiological and nutritional states of soil microbes in the Japanese archipelago.</p>","PeriodicalId":11434,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Research","volume":"40 4","pages":"559-572"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1440-1703.12552","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144666413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ecosystem responses and behaviors under changing pressure of air pollutants: Special article collection from the 10th International Conference on Acid Deposition “ACID RAIN 2020”","authors":"Nobuhito Ohte","doi":"10.1111/1440-1703.12554","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12554","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This special issue is a partial compilation of research papers from the 10th International Conference on Acid Deposition “ACID RAIN 2020” conference held in Niigata, Japan in April 2023, focusing on ecosystem responses to air pollution. The Acid Rain Conference series began in 1975, initially addressing the harmful effects of acid deposition on ecosystems. Over time, the research focus evolved from simple acid rain issues to effects of excess nitrogen deposition and saturation in the 1980s, and then to ecosystem recovery studies in the 1990s. Current research examines interactions with climate change and air pollution in developing countries. The special issue contains 11 papers: eight on long-term ecosystem responses, two on plants' role in reducing air pollution, and one technical note on soil sampling in biogeochemical monitoring. The long-term studies, from Japan and Norway, show different regional responses to acid deposition. Japanese forests demonstrate higher acid buffering capacity than Northern European ones, partly due to the composition of volcanic soil. Nordic papers focus on modeling tools, MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater In Catchments), which has been improved over time to simulate the combined effect of acid deposition and climate change impacts. It is significant that exactly half a century after the first conference, this collection of contemporary papers will be published in <i>Ecological Research</i>. This is because findings from research on biogeochemical cycles in ecosystems related to acid rain should be widely shared among the ecological community, and through this, a variety of audiences should be informed.</p>","PeriodicalId":11434,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Research","volume":"40 3","pages":"245-248"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1440-1703.12554","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144148481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of elevation on taxonomic and functional diversity of frog communities in a tropical forest","authors":"Carla C. Siqueira,&nbsp;Davor Vrcibradic,&nbsp;Carlos Frederico D. Rocha","doi":"10.1111/1440-1703.12551","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12551","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The assessment of taxonomic diversity (TD) and functional diversity (FD) in natural gradients, including elevation, has grown over the past two decades, but is still relatively little studied. By studying amphibians in the Brazilian forest areas, this research aims to address critical knowledge gaps about biodiversity distribution, while highlighting the need to conserve this fragile and unique hotspot. Herein, we assessed whether and how environmental predictors explain taxonomic and functional alpha and beta diversities of frogs in a Brazilian tropical forest. Elevation significantly and negatively affected TD and FD, with a monotonic linear decrease of both variables with increasing altitude. We did not detect a significant influence of habitat amount (as measured by proportion of forest vegetation cover) on either TD or FD, probably because we observed minimal variation in habitat amount along the elevational gradient. We found a significant influence of elevation on taxonomic and functional dissimilarity values, predominantly explained by the turnover rather than the nestedness component. Our results highlight the importance of functional traits for understanding frog distribution patterns along environmental gradients. Community-level studies on tropical frogs, especially montane species vulnerable to environmental and climatic impacts, remain limited, posing challenges for conservation and management efforts. The high turnover of species composition and functional roles emphasizes the importance of conserving the entire mountain habitat, including the upper elevations.</p>","PeriodicalId":11434,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Research","volume":"40 4","pages":"573-585"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144666496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deforestation, emissions, and carbon sequestration potential of Merlimau mangrove forest: A landscape-level analysis","authors":"Mohd. Safwan Azman,&nbsp;Sahadev Sharma,&nbsp;Rempei Suwa,&nbsp;Kishneth Palaniveloo,&nbsp;Rozainah Mohamad Zakaria","doi":"10.1111/1440-1703.12550","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12550","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The worldwide decline of mangroves, driven by land-use changes, contributes to global carbon emissions. Nevertheless, there is still uncertainty surrounding the effects of mangrove deforestation on carbon emissions. Only a few studies have attempted to quantify its implications for the carbon budget, especially at the landscape level. We conducted a field assessment of carbon stock, losses or emissions associated with the conversion of these ecosystems, along with quantifying the impact of this conversion on the carbon budget using carbon sequestration rates in various types of mangrove ecosystems, including intact and varying ages of naturally regenerated mangroves within the Merlimau–Kuala Sebatu landscape. Results show that the estimated total ecosystem carbon (TEC) stock for clear-cut sites was 149.06 ± 7.56 Mg C ha⁻¹, whereas the TEC stock for intact sites was 280.65 ± 16.92 Mg C ha⁻¹; however, no significant difference was observed (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.05). Using a stock-change approach, the equivalent carbon emissions are 482.93 Mg ha⁻¹ CO₂e. This is among the lowest measured C emissions from land use in the tropics. Remarkably, the landscape-scale carbon budget remained favorable, with a net positive balance of 2835 Mg C yr⁻¹, mainly due to the carbon sink capacity and expansion of natural regeneration of the intact mangrove site (796 Mg C yr⁻¹). Our research identifies a deforestation threshold of 75%, at which the carbon budget approaches neutrality. These findings therefore emphasize the importance of protecting intact forests and managing regenerated mangroves sustainably, as younger mangroves help sequester carbon and reduce deforestation emissions.</p>","PeriodicalId":11434,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Research","volume":"40 2","pages":"133-149"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143646329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Abundance and reproduction behavior data for waterbirds (Anatidae, Rallidae, Charadriiforms, Podicipediforms) breeding in European France based on a probability sampling design","authors":"Matthieu Guillemain,&nbsp;Philippe Aubry,&nbsp;Alain Caizergues,&nbsp;Laurent Couzi,&nbsp;Jérémy Dupuy,&nbsp;Charlotte Francesiaz,&nbsp;Emmanuel Joyeux,&nbsp;Gwenaël Quaintenne","doi":"10.1111/1440-1703.12549","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12549","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Appropriate management of wildlife requires sound knowledge and high-quality data about species distributions, abundance, and trends in numbers. From a legal standpoint, Article 12 of the European “Birds” Directive requires Member States to report on breeding populations sizes. Acquiring such data is difficult owing to the wide distribution of most species and the multispecies nature of surveys. We relied on a stratified two-stage spatial sampling design to assess breeding population size of waterbirds in European France. The data come from 2428 grid cells of 500 m × 500 m surveyed by territory or spot mapping three times at one-month interval between 15 March and 15 June during the springs of 2021 or 2022. Individual bird location within each grid cell and their breeding behavior were recorded. A total of 6938 grid cell visits were undertaken, yielding 64,731 observations accounting for 132,292 individuals. These data are primarily aimed to assess the breeding population size of the 25 most common waterbirds (the population size estimates will be presented in a future article). However, because the location and time of observation of all individuals, as well as their behavior, are recorded, questions such as intra- and interspecific distribution rules, or habitat selection processes, can be addressed with this dataset too. As observers were also incited to record all other species among Anatidae, Rallidae, Charadriiforms and Podicipediforms, this dataset also provides robust original data on exotic and rare birds. The detailed Metadata and complete data set are available in MetaCat in JaLTER at https://jalter.diasjp.net/data/ERDP-2025-02.</p>","PeriodicalId":11434,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Research","volume":"40 4","pages":"631-643"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1440-1703.12549","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144666359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}