Journal of Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Ants on flowers: Protective ants impose a low but variable cost to pollination, moderated by location of extrafloral nectaries and type of flower visitor","authors":"Amanda Vieira da Silva, Anselmo Nogueira, Judith L. Bronstein, Pedro J. Rey, Laura Carolina Leal","doi":"10.1111/1365-2745.70087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.70087","url":null,"abstract":"<h2>1 INTRODUCTION</h2>\u0000<p>Individuals are often involved in multiple types of mutualisms over their lifespans. In some cases, these mutualisms are engaged in simultaneously. When this is the case, the outcome of a mutualism for the focal individual may change according to the presence of other mutualistic partners (Afkhami et al., <span>2014</span>). The outcome may vary from synergistic, increasing the fitness of the focal individual (Barillas et al., <span>2007</span>), to antagonistic, reducing the fitness of the focal individual to a level lower than would be expected if each mutualism were occurring separately in time (Ness, <span>2006</span>). Antagonistic effects are among the ecological costs of mutualisms. They arise when partners from different mutualisms affect each other negatively or when one partner negatively affects the other, compromising the net effect of each mutualism for the focal individual (Frederickson et al., <span>2012</span>; Strauss et al., <span>2002</span>). Such costs exist when the same resource is provided to more than one mutualistic partner simultaneously (e.g. plants providing carbohydrates to nitrogen-fixing bacteria and to protective insects visiting extrafloral nectaries; Godschalx et al., <span>2015</span>), or when one mutualistic partner repels others that confer a different mutualistic reward (e.g. protective ants repelling pollinators; Altshuler, <span>1999</span>). Theoretical studies have predicted that natural selection will act to lower the costs of mutualisms (Foster & Wenseleers, <span>2006</span>), and some empirical studies have shown that these costs can be low or negligible in some present-day mutualisms (e.g. Ferreira et al., <span>2022</span>; Jones et al., <span>2017</span>). However, other studies have reported a high cost for individuals interacting with multiple mutualists (e.g. Laird & Addicott, <span>2007</span>; LeVan et al., <span>2014</span>; Rico-Gray & Castro, <span>1996</span>). Thus, quantifying these costs and investigating the factors modulating them is a fundamental step toward improving our understanding of the dynamics of mutualism.</p>\u0000<p>In mutualistic interactions between protective ants and plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs), protective ants are attracted to extrafloral nectar, a nutritious reward produced by a secretory structure present in more than 4000 plant species worldwide (Keeler et al., <span>2024</span>; Weber & Keeler, <span>2013</span>). Once on the plant, they reduce herbivory by consuming or repelling herbivores (Bronstein, <span>1998</span>; Frederickson et al., <span>2012</span>; Rosumek et al., <span>2009</span>). However, in plant species in which extrafloral nectar secretion overlaps in time with flowering, protective ants can also repel floral visitors. For example, ants can deter pollinators by behaving aggressively towards visitors or simply by being nearby (Villamil et al., <span>2018a</span>). Furthermore, some visitors ","PeriodicalId":191,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecology","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144312100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Ammonium preference and microbial nitrification inhibition drive the expansion of a poisonous plant in alpine ‐meadows","authors":"Jian‐Guo Ma, Fu‐Jiang Hou, Xing‐Guo Han, Xiao‐Bo Wang","doi":"10.1111/1365-2745.70085","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.70085","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:list> <jats:list-item>Poisonous plants are proliferating unprecedentedly across global terrestrial ecosystems, threatening ecosystem health. However, the mechanisms underlying their rapid expansion, including nitrogen (N) uptake strategies and effects on soil processes, remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that poisonous plants may possess specialized N acquisition and utilization strategies (e.g. preference for particular N forms) via rhizosphere microbiome alterations, thereby influencing ecosystem N transformations and gaining a competitive advantage.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>To test this idea, we investigated <jats:italic>Ligularia virgaurea</jats:italic> (<jats:italic>L. virgaurea</jats:italic>), a dominant poisonous plant on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP), which thrives in degraded alpine meadows. Our study integrated (1) long‐term multi‐site spatiotemporal surveys (2010–2020) to assess <jats:italic>L. virgaurea</jats:italic> population dynamics and associated vegetation and soil changes; (2) <jats:sup>15</jats:sup>N‐tracing techniques to compare N form preferences (NO<jats:sub>3</jats:sub><jats:sup>−</jats:sup> vs. NH<jats:sub>4</jats:sub><jats:sup>+</jats:sup>), soil N transformations and ecological consequences between <jats:italic>L. virgaurea</jats:italic> and the non‐poisonous grass <jats:italic>Elymus nutans</jats:italic> (<jats:italic>E. nutans</jats:italic>); and (3) qPCR and amplicon sequencing techniques to analyse rhizosphere microbiome, particularly ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA).</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>From 2010 to 2020, <jats:italic>L. virgaurea</jats:italic> density increased 4.9‐fold. Higher <jats:italic>L. virgaurea</jats:italic> densities correlated with elevated soil organic carbon, total N, NH<jats:sub>4</jats:sub><jats:sup>+</jats:sup>‐N, available phosphorus and microbial biomass, but reduced soil NO<jats:sub>3</jats:sub><jats:sup>−</jats:sup>‐N. Compared with <jats:italic>E. nutans</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>L. virgaurea</jats:italic> demonstrated a greater N uptake efficiency with particular affinity for ammonium, suppressed AOA/AOB abundance, altered phylogenetic composition of nitrifiers, attenuated nitrification rates and reduced nitrous oxide (N<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O) emissions.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:italic>Synthesis</jats:italic>. <jats:italic>Ligularia virgaurea</jats:italic>'s expansion is driven by enhanced N utilization efficiency via nitrification inhibition, likely mediated by rhizosphere microbiome shifts. This unique N acquisition and utilization strategy likely gives <jats:italic>L. virgaurea</jats:italic> a competitive advantage in degraded QTP grasslands, with implications for restraining poisonous plant expansion through targeted nutrient management strategies in alpine grassland ecosystem.</jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":191,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecology","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144311380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Correction to “Structural and defensive roles of angiosperm leaf venation network reticulation across an Andes–Amazon elevation gradient”","authors":"","doi":"10.1111/1365-2745.70086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.70086","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":191,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecology","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144304438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Carboxylate release as a nutrient‐acquisition strategy in mycorrhizal plant species in phosphorus‐impoverished environments","authors":"Xiao Wang, Li Yan, Kosala Ranathunge, Lele Liu, Weihua Guo, Paul Dallongeville, Zhijian Mou, Haibin Kang, Hans Lambers","doi":"10.1111/1365-2745.70078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.70078","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:list> <jats:list-item>Plants acquire phosphorus (P) in different ways, including using specialised root structures such as cluster roots and mycorrhizal symbioses. However, mycorrhizal fungi are less effective at acquiring P from severely P‐impoverished soils; yet many mycorrhizal plants thrive in such environments. Hence, we studied what nutrient‐acquisition and ‐utilisation strategies allow these species to persist in these habitats.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>We chose 19 species (from mycorrhizal and non‐mycorrhizal families) from P‐impoverished environments in south‐western Australia. Leaf element concentrations, including P, nitrogen (N) and manganese (Mn), as well as N and carbon (C) stable isotopes, were measured to explore the likely nutrient‐acquisition and ‐utilisation strategies. Leaf Mn concentrations ([Mn]) were used as a proxy for carboxylates released by roots. Subsequently, glasshouse experiments were conducted to measure the root carboxylate release of seedlings of the selected species grown in nutrient solutions.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>Most mycorrhizal plant species with high leaf [Mn] showed a considerable release of root carboxylates, which mobilise both P and Mn in soil, just like most non‐mycorrhizal Proteaceae with their specialised cluster roots do. The leaf [N] and [P] of arbuscular mycorrhizal species were higher than those of species with cluster roots and ectomycorrhizal species. Arbuscular mycorrhizal plant species exhibited a significantly more negative δ<jats:sup>15</jats:sup>N than other mycorrhizal species, indicating they accessed more inorganic N, while cluster‐rooted non‐mycorrhizal species had a positive δ<jats:sup>15</jats:sup>N, indicating they accessed more organic N. Myrtaceae exhibited a less negative δ<jats:sup>13</jats:sup>C value and higher leaf [Mn] at a drier location, indicating a higher water‐use efficiency. Their higher leaf [Mn] suggests that photosynthesis was reduced less than leaf growth, providing a greater surplus of carbon, which was released as carboxylates from the roots.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:italic>Synthesis</jats:italic>. Many mycorrhizal plant species very likely depended on root carboxylate release to acquire P at the P‐impoverished study sites. Arbuscular mycorrhizal species exhibited a less conservative nutrient‐utilisation strategy with higher leaf [P] than cluster‐rooted non‐mycorrhizal species and accessed more inorganic N. This supports the contention that the non‐mycorrhizal species were not only more efficient at acquiring P but also at using it; their δ<jats:sup>15</jats:sup>N values indicated that they accessed more organic N.</jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":191,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecology","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144288296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Reassembly dynamics of tropical secondary succession: Evidence from Atlantic forests","authors":"Renato Miazaki de Toledo, Vania Regina Pivello, Pieter Vangansbeke, Catarina Jakovac, Kris Verheyen, Luciano Martins Verdade, Renato A. F. de Lima","doi":"10.1111/1365-2745.70080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.70080","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:list> <jats:list-item>One of the most fundamental predictions for secondary succession involves the gradual replacement of stress‐resistant species by others that are better competitors under late succession conditions. However, it remains unclear how widespread this replacement is and whether it holds across regional types of recovering forests.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>Here, we identify these species groups and how they replace each other during the succession of the main Atlantic Forest subtypes (i.e. Araucaria Forest, Rainforest and Seasonal Forest), using a dataset containing species abundance data from 497 tree communities spread across this biodiversity hotspot. We also test whether the association with successional stages can be explained by species taxonomy or functional traits.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>Species composition varied significantly both between and within successional stages. Among the 2749 surveyed species, 237 were identified as disturbance‐opportunists and 650 as disturbance‐sensitive. Species turnover was low, as most species (61.38%) had low abundances and frequencies (&lt;5% within subtypes), regardless of successional stage. Additionally, 249 species remained abundant across all successional stages, which encompassed 45.8% of the surveyed trees. The relationship between species and successional stages showed little correlation with taxonomy. Furthermore, traits, such as specific leaf area, maximum height, wood density and seed mass, were highly variable within species groups and unfit to predict species suitability across successional stages.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:italic>Synthesis</jats:italic>. We show that species replacement along Atlantic Forest succession only applies to a restricted fraction of species and that species reassembly is variable across time and space. Overall, our study illustrates the importance of regional measurements of species sensitivity to anthropogenic disturbance in assessing tropical forest succession.</jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":191,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecology","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144288228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Drivers of kelp forest refugia during successive disturbance events","authors":"Katherine C. Cavanaugh, Robert E. Weiss, Tom W. Bell, Laura Rogers‐Bennett, Kyle C. Cavanaugh","doi":"10.1111/1365-2745.70072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.70072","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:list> <jats:list-item>Increased ocean temperatures have led to large‐scale declines in many ecologically important species, including kelp forests. Spatial heterogeneity across seascapes could protect kelp individuals and small populations from thermal stress and nutrient limitation. Habitat features within upwelling regions may facilitate the transport of deep, cold water into shallow systems, but little is known about the spatiotemporal occurrence or stability of these climate refugia. Kelp in climate refugia may, however, also experience other stressors, such as overgrazing by kelp herbivores, reducing their effectiveness.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>Here, we use high‐resolution kelp canopy maps generated from CubeSat constellation data to characterize kelp persistence in northern California following a dramatic decline in kelp abundance due to increased temperature and nutrient limitation during a severe marine heatwave and continued intense grazing pressure by purple sea urchins.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>Kelp persistence was associated with local areas of relatively cool water temperature and seascape features such as shallow depths and low‐complexity bathymetry, which may have provided refuge from overgrazing. However, a very small percentage of kelp forests in the region exhibited high persistence, with many forests present in only one or two of the 9 years studied. Most kelp patches were not spatially stable over time. Initially, kelp presence aligned with climate refugia, but as overgrazing emerged as the dominant driver of kelp distributions post‐2019, kelp shifted to areas that offered protection from grazing pressure.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:italic>Synthesis</jats:italic>. Cooler areas with localized upwelling acted as climate refugia during the increased ocean temperatures from the 2014–2016 marine heatwave, supporting nutrient‐rich environments and mitigating heat stress for kelp forests. However, these temperature refugia often did not spatially overlap with areas providing protection from grazing pressure, leaving kelp forests vulnerable to future warming even within temperature refugia if grazing pressure remains high.</jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":191,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecology","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144288227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Inbreeding depression, functional traits and phenotypic plasticity in an endangered tree species with a mixed mating system","authors":"Jean Pierre Ngongo, Chadrack Kafuti, Hans Beeckman, Léopold Ndjele, Espoir Ibrahim, Crispin Ilunga‐Mulala, Hulda Hatakiwe, Yves Brostaux, Dieu‐Merci Assumani Angbonda, Thomas Drouet, Nils Bourland, Olivier J. Hardy","doi":"10.1111/1365-2745.70082","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.70082","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:list> <jats:list-item>Most tree species can suffer from inbreeding depression (ID), which they escape by reproducing predominantly through outcrossing. A remarkable exception is <jats:italic>Pericopsis elata</jats:italic>, an African timber species naturally producing 54% of self‐fertilized seeds in the eastern Congo Basin. This species is highly logged and suffers from a deficit of natural regeneration, so that silviculture is needed for its sustainable management. While selecting good genetic material can increase the value of plantations, we lack fundamental biological knowledge on the effect of inbreeding and competition on growth potential, variability in leaf traits and phenotypic plasticity (PP). We hypothesize that ID in <jats:italic>P. elata</jats:italic> could result from the expression of deleterious mutations affecting functional traits, or from a reduction of adaptive PP in inbred genotypes.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>To test our hypotheses, 540 <jats:italic>P. elata</jats:italic> seedlings were monitored for 4 years in a Nelder‐type device, in which trees were planted along concentric circles to generate a density gradient. Nine leaf morphological traits (including specific leaf area, stomata density and size), eight leaf chemical traits, diameter and total height were measured regularly on 60 individuals, while paternity analyses allowed distinguishing inbred and outbred plants. To explain the observed ID on growth, we tested whether inbreeding affected leaf traits and/or their plasticity expressed across years, across the density gradient or across sunlight exposure.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>Outbred plants grew faster than inbred ones, demonstrating ID for each level of competition. Despite the significant correlation found between specific LA and growth, and the impact of planting density, plant age and leaf exposure to sunlight on multiple traits, mean leaf trait values did not differ according to inbreeding. However, a few leaf traits (chlorophyll content, maximum stomatal water vapour conductance and leaf fresh mass) showed significantly higher plasticity in outbred than inbred plants.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:italic>Synthesis</jats:italic>. The observed ID on growth traits was not explained by a direct effect of inbreeding on the mean values of leaf traits but possibly by a reduction in PP with inbreeding. Additional studies on the interplay between ID, functional traits and plasticity should be conducted at the intraspecific level to identify general patterns.</jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":191,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecology","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144278241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Long-term drought triggers contrasting responses of foliar stable nitrogen isotopes and soil available nitrogen in a subtropical forest","authors":"Songbo Tang, Huanfa Sun, Xiaoni Xu, Fangxiu Wan, Erqian Cui, Yang Qiao, Ying Du, Xuhui Zhou, Jianyang Xia, Liming Yan","doi":"10.1111/1365-2745.70079","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.70079","url":null,"abstract":"<h2> CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT</h2>\u0000<p>The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Jianyang Xia and Xuhui Zhou are the Associate Editors of <i>Journal of Ecology</i>, but took no part in the peer review and decision-making processes for this paper.</p>","PeriodicalId":191,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecology","volume":"151 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144269422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Decoupling of plant nitrogen and phosphorus under global change over the last two decades","authors":"Yixue Hong, Ji Chen, Xiao-Tao Lü, Dejun Li, Mohamed S. Sheteiwy, Fernando T. Maestre, Pete Smith, Raúl Ochoa-Hueso, Robert L. Sinsabaugh, Hao Chen","doi":"10.1111/1365-2745.70081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.70081","url":null,"abstract":"<h2> CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT</h2>\u0000<p>Ji Chen and Xiao-Tao Lü are associate editors of <i>Journal of Ecology</i>, but took no part in the peer review and decision-making processes for this paper.</p>","PeriodicalId":191,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecology","volume":"219 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144260785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Tolerance of organisms composing an Arctic kelp community to ocean warming and marine heatwaves","authors":"Anaïs Lebrun, Cale A. Miller, Frédéric Gazeau, Pierre Urrutti, Samir Alliouane, Jean‐Pierre Gattuso, Steeve Comeau","doi":"10.1111/1365-2745.70074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.70074","url":null,"abstract":"<jats:list> <jats:list-item>The Arctic region is experiencing rapid warming and an increase in the frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves (MHWs), posing an increasing risk to coastal ecosystems. Kelp communities in the Arctic are vital habitats that support biodiversity and resilience but are particularly vulnerable to increasing temperature anomalies.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>In this study, we conducted a mesocosm experiment over 23 days in summer to assess the effects of warming and MHWs on three kelp species (<jats:italic>Saccharina latissima</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Laminaria digitata</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Alaria esculenta</jats:italic>) and associated community members: coralline algae, snails, sea urchins and mussels.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>Three warming scenarios were tested, all of which were offset from a naturally variable control. The four conditions were a control (i.e. ambient seawater) which ranged from ~7.5 to 10°C (naturally variable), a constant high‐temperature treatment (+1.8°C from the control), a treatment simulating a single 13‐day heatwave with a maximum offset temperature of +2.8°C from the control, and a treatment simulating two consecutive 5‐day MHWs with a maximum offset of +3.9°C.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>For the three kelp species, net photosynthetic rate, maximum quantum yield, chlorophyll <jats:italic>a</jats:italic> content, carbon to nitrogen ratio and growth rate were investigated. For the associated species, only growth rates were evaluated.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:italic>Laminaria digitata</jats:italic> showed no significant changes in any of the measured parameters, suggesting a robust tolerance to heat stress. Conversely, the maximum quantum yield for <jats:italic>S. latissima</jats:italic> decreased in the two heatwaves treatment. In addition, <jats:italic>A. esculenta</jats:italic> displayed a decrease in chlorophyll <jats:italic>a</jats:italic> content and net photosynthesis over time in the two heatwaves treatment.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>The growth rates of coralline algae, mussels, snails and sea urchins were not affected by the treatments.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:italic>Synthesis</jats:italic>: These results suggest that Arctic kelp communities are fairly tolerant to warming and short‐term MHWs, despite the few minor effects on photosynthesis by some of the kelp species. We note that the future response of kelp communities must account for the potential indirect effects of climate change, such as predation and competition, along with any consequential effects of warming anomalies, as those presented here.</jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":191,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Ecology","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144237720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}