{"title":"Dollo's law of irreversibility in the post-genomic age.","authors":"Kathryn R Elmer, Jean Clobert","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.09.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.09.010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dollo's law of irreversibility argues that evolution cannot revert to earlier states. It has remained controversial ever since its inception in the 19th century. Enabled by advances in phylogenomics and functional genomics, recent studies show that there are very likely some cases of 'breaking Dollo's law'. As post-genomic research grows from showing patterns to revealing processes, new emphasis is needed on the molecular mechanisms by which Dollo's law might be broken. Shifting the argument from 'if it happened' to 'how it happened' will provide richer understanding of organismal and evolutionary biology. Motivated by case studies and novel avenues to test trait loss and regain, we outline a set of alternative hypotheses to be evaluated and what the outcomes tell us about evolution.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"136-146"},"PeriodicalIF":16.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142508751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anna C Bowland, Amanda D Melin, David J Hosken, Kimberley J Hockings, Matthew A Carrigan
{"title":"Animals and ethanol: beyond the laboratory.","authors":"Anna C Bowland, Amanda D Melin, David J Hosken, Kimberley J Hockings, Matthew A Carrigan","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.12.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.12.012","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"117-118"},"PeriodicalIF":16.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143068130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ethanol and pollinators: expanding Bowland et al.'s framework.","authors":"Krzysztof Miler","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.11.019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.11.019","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"115-116"},"PeriodicalIF":16.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142819301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Danielle Drabeck, Chris Rensing, Kat Van der Poorten
{"title":"Disability in ecology and evolution.","authors":"Danielle Drabeck, Chris Rensing, Kat Van der Poorten","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.12.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.12.009","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"91-95"},"PeriodicalIF":16.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143075519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elisa Van Cleemput, Peter B Adler, Katharine Nash Suding, Alanna Jane Rebelo, Benjamin Poulter, Laura E Dee
{"title":"Scaling-up ecological understanding with remote sensing and causal inference.","authors":"Elisa Van Cleemput, Peter B Adler, Katharine Nash Suding, Alanna Jane Rebelo, Benjamin Poulter, Laura E Dee","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.09.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.09.006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Decades of empirical ecological research have focused on understanding ecological dynamics at local scales. Remote sensing products can help to scale-up ecological understanding to support management actions that need to be implemented across large spatial extents. This new avenue for remote sensing applications requires careful consideration of sources of potential bias that can lead to spurious causal relationships. We propose that causal inference techniques can help to mitigate biases arising from confounding variables and measurement errors that are inherent in remote sensing products. Adopting these statistical techniques will require interdisciplinary collaborations between local ecologists, remote sensing specialists, and experts in causal inference. The insights from integrating 'big' observational data from remote sensing with causal inference could be essential for bridging biodiversity science and conservation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"122-135"},"PeriodicalIF":16.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142606269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jacob I Levine, Ruby An, Nathan J B Kraft, Stephen W Pacala, Jonathan M Levine
{"title":"Why ecologists struggle to predict coexistence from functional traits.","authors":"Jacob I Levine, Ruby An, Nathan J B Kraft, Stephen W Pacala, Jonathan M Levine","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.10.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.10.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The rationale behind trait-based ecology is that shifting focus from species' taxonomic names to their measurable characteristics ('functional traits') leads to greater generality and predictive power. This idea has been applied to one of ecology's most intractable problems: the coexistence of competing species. But after 20 years, we lack clear evidence that functional traits effectively predict coexistence. Here, we present a theory-based argument for why this might be the case. Specifically, we argue that coexistence often depends on special quantities called 'process-informed metrics' (PIMs), which combine multiple traits and demographic characteristics in non-intuitive ways, obscuring any direct ties between individual traits and coexistence. We then lay a path forward for trait-based coexistence research that builds on mechanistic models of competition.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"147-158"},"PeriodicalIF":16.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142558872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Catherine M Bodinof Jachowski, Laura A Schoenle, Valentina J Alaasam, Heather Govenor, Sydney F Hope
{"title":"Work and life in dynamic equilibrium.","authors":"Catherine M Bodinof Jachowski, Laura A Schoenle, Valentina J Alaasam, Heather Govenor, Sydney F Hope","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.11.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.11.012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We reframe the idea of balancing career and non-career interests for ecologists specifically. We introduce the concept of a dynamic work-life equilibrium (WLE) and draw parallels between ecological processes and processes affecting our continuously fluctuating sense of balance, with an aim at encouraging self-reflection and improving WLE mentoring in ecological disciplines.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"96-98"},"PeriodicalIF":16.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142819310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Isabel Cantera, Simone Giachello, Tamara Münkemüller, Marco Caccianiga, Mauro Gobbi, Gianalberto Losapio, Silvio Marta, Barbara Valle, Krzysztof Zawierucha, Wilfried Thuiller, Gentile Francesco Ficetola
{"title":"Describing functional diversity of communities from environmental DNA.","authors":"Isabel Cantera, Simone Giachello, Tamara Münkemüller, Marco Caccianiga, Mauro Gobbi, Gianalberto Losapio, Silvio Marta, Barbara Valle, Krzysztof Zawierucha, Wilfried Thuiller, Gentile Francesco Ficetola","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.10.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.10.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Comprehensive assessments of functional diversity are needed to understand ecosystem alterations under global changes. The 'Fun-eDNA' approach characterises functional diversity by assigning traits to taxonomic units obtained through environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling. By simultaneously analysing an unprecedented number of taxa over broad spatial scales, the approach provides a whole-ecosystem perspective of functional diversity. Fun-eDNA is increasingly used to tackle multiple questions, but aligning eDNA with traits poses several conceptual and technical challenges. Enhancing trait databases, improving the annotation of eDNA-based taxonomic inventories, interdisciplinary collaboration, and conceptual harmonisation of traits are key steps to achieve a comprehensive assessment of diverse taxa. Overcoming these challenges can unlock the full potential of eDNA in leveraging measures of ecosystem functions from multi-taxa assessments.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"170-179"},"PeriodicalIF":16.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142688851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kadri Runnel, Leho Tedersoo, Franz-Sebastian Krah, Meike Piepenbring, J F Scheepens, Henner Hollert, Sarah Johann, Nele Meyer, Claus Bässler
{"title":"Toward harnessing biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships in fungi.","authors":"Kadri Runnel, Leho Tedersoo, Franz-Sebastian Krah, Meike Piepenbring, J F Scheepens, Henner Hollert, Sarah Johann, Nele Meyer, Claus Bässler","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.10.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.10.004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fungi are crucial for terrestrial ecosystems, yet the role of fungal diversity in ecosystem functions remains unclear. We synthesize fungal biodiversity and ecosystem function (BEF) relationships, focusing on plant biomass production, carbon storage, decomposition, and pathogen or parasite resistance. The observed BEF relationships for these ecosystem functions vary in strength and direction, complicating generalizations. Strong positive relationships are generally observed when multiple ecosystem functions are addressed simultaneously. Often, fungal community composition outperforms species richness in predicting ecosystem functions. For more comprehensive fungal BEF research, we recommend studying natural communities, considering the simultaneous functions of a broader array of fungal guilds across spatiotemporal scales, and integrating community assembly concepts into BEF research. For this, we propose a conceptual framework and testable hypotheses.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"180-190"},"PeriodicalIF":16.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142629005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Global-scale geo-evolutionary feedbacks: a tale by oxygen.","authors":"Xin-Yi Chu, Hong-Yu Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.11.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2024.11.015","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"111-112"},"PeriodicalIF":16.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142808046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}