Dustin Marshall, Craig White, Van Savage, Naomi Levine
{"title":"Second thoughts about first principles in biology.","authors":"Dustin Marshall, Craig White, Van Savage, Naomi Levine","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>First-principles approaches, based on physics or chemistry, are key pillars of biological theory. Despite their value, there are recurrent problems with many first-principles approaches in biology: they often include incomplete physics or are driven by unscrutinised biological assumptions. Meanwhile, debates about biological theories based on first principles usually focus on the fit of predictions to data-we argue such a focus confuses prediction with explanation. A good fit of predictions to data is a necessary, but insufficient condition for a theory to be sound. First-principles approaches in biology will only be effective when the physics and biology are both sufficiently complete. Determining what elements are essential to include is an enduring but exciting challenge of science.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"668-676"},"PeriodicalIF":17.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147989308","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}
Noam S Vogt-Vincent, Lisa C McManus, Robert J Toonen
{"title":"Global coral reef collapse is not inevitable.","authors":"Noam S Vogt-Vincent, Lisa C McManus, Robert J Toonen","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.018","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Coral reefs are gravely threatened by climate change and other anthropogenic stressors. However, global coral reef collapse is not inevitable, and the status of coral reef tipping points is uncertain. Overstating confidence in coral reef futures damages trust in scientists and reduces the likelihood of desperately needed conservation action.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"571-573"},"PeriodicalIF":17.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147989321","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":"Where is the evidence for biodiversity equilibria?","authors":"Marcio R Pie","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.009","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"574-575"},"PeriodicalIF":17.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147864509","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}
Michael Opoku Adomako, James D Bever, Bernhard Schmid, Fei-Hai Yu
{"title":"Environmentally induced phenotypic diversity drives population overyielding.","authors":"Michael Opoku Adomako, James D Bever, Bernhard Schmid, Fei-Hai Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.05.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.05.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Genetically induced phenotypic diversity can drive overyielding in plant communities via resource partitioning, pathogen dilution, and abiotic stress alleviation. Theoretically, environmentally induced phenotypic diversity within genetically uniform populations could also generate overyielding through these mechanisms. Testing this possibility will expand the generality of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"593-597"},"PeriodicalIF":17.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148151560","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":"Collective social niche construction shaping adaptive social networks.","authors":"Cédric Sueur, Ricard Solé, Jean-Louis Deneubourg","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding how social networks form and change is key to explaining the adaptability of human and nonhuman societies. Collective social niche construction describes how individuals actively shape their social environment through interactions, generating network structures that influence cooperation, pathogen transmission, and information flow. Recent advances reveal that network adaptability emerges through distinct mechanisms: self-organisation and phase transitions enable rapid topological changes in response to environmental pressures, while behavioural flexibility-central to the Cumulative Cultural Brain Hypothesis-supports enhanced social learning and cultural accumulation in high-intelligence species. Both pathways exemplify how feedback loops between individual strategies and emergent network properties generate adaptive, resilient social structures. This perspective positions social networks as dynamic biological structures shaped by plasticity at multiple hierarchical levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"607-617"},"PeriodicalIF":17.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782151","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}
Luke J Potgieter, Marc W Cadotte, Xuhui Dong, Guy F Midgley, David M Richardson
{"title":"Nature-based solutions: a double-edged sword for biological invasions?","authors":"Luke J Potgieter, Marc W Cadotte, Xuhui Dong, Guy F Midgley, David M Richardson","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nature-based solutions (NbS) are increasingly promoted to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, but the consequences of scaling up NbS for biological invasions, an acknowledged biological crisis, remain poorly synthesised. We evaluate how NbS can influence the establishment, spread, and impacts of non-native species. We discuss mechanisms underpinning beneficial invasion outcomes, including enhanced biotic resistance through native species restoration, targeted invasive species control, and carefully implemented managed relocation. Conversely, inappropriately designed NbS, particularly those involving non-native species introductions, weakened dispersal barriers through trade, altered disturbance regimes, or inadequate implementation in degraded ecosystems, can worsen invasion outcomes. Integrating invasion science into NbS planning, supported by robust risk assessment and long-term monitoring, is essential to ensure multi-benefit outcomes under global change.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"638-650"},"PeriodicalIF":17.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147864543","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}
Marina Sanz-Martín, Carolina Olguín-Jacobson, Jessica A Bolin, Carla Quiles-Pons, Isaac Brito-Morales, Jorge García Molinos, Manuel Hidalgo, Irene D Alabia, Elena Gissi, Mikaela M Provost, Fiorenza Micheli, Nur Arafeh-Dalmau
{"title":"Identifying marine climate refugia to advance climate-smart conservation.","authors":"Marina Sanz-Martín, Carolina Olguín-Jacobson, Jessica A Bolin, Carla Quiles-Pons, Isaac Brito-Morales, Jorge García Molinos, Manuel Hidalgo, Irene D Alabia, Elena Gissi, Mikaela M Provost, Fiorenza Micheli, Nur Arafeh-Dalmau","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.04.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Climate change is impacting the ocean and the services it provides, but the rate of change is not spatially uniform. Some areas, known as marine climate refugia, are less impacted by climate change and, if conserved, can provide a promising climate adaptation strategy. In this review, we synthesize the processes that create refugia conditions and the scientific approaches used to identify them, which fall into three main categories: low climatic exposure, ecological resilience, and habitat suitability. These approaches are applied across levels of biological organization and multiple temporal and spatial scales, reflecting the dynamic nature of the ocean. We show that integrating these approaches into conservation and management can support climate-smart strategies to enhance ocean resilience and biodiversity under intensifying climate threats.</p>","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"651-667"},"PeriodicalIF":17.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147949616","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":"Collective social niche construction shaping adaptive social networks.","authors":"Cédric Sueur, Ricard Solé, Jean-Louis Deneubourg","doi":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.05.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tree.2026.05.010","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23274,"journal":{"name":"Trends in ecology & evolution","volume":" ","pages":"677"},"PeriodicalIF":17.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148043209","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}