Tomlinson KW, Yu F, Wang X, Yao X, Yu C-C, Charles-Dominique T, Anést A, Zhao Y, Agung AP, Putra AA, Lapuz RS, Lefebvre T, Davies TJ, Hempson GP, Bezeng BS, Daru BH, Kabongo RM, Maurin O, Muasya AM, van der Bank M, Bond WJ, Armani M, Gélin U. 2025. The macroecology of spines on woody plants. Biological Reviews. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.70051

ABSTRACT

Spines are a major ecological innovation supporting plant defence and diversification. Spine anatomy is diverse, having arisen in multiple plant lineages from many different plant organs and parts, which may differ in relative advantages across environmental gradients. Systematic analyses of the correlates of spiny plant diversity are limited, but climate and soil properties may be important. We analysed spatial patterns of the proportional richness of spiny woody plant species (fraction of total woody species richness) and the proportional richness of species with particular spine types (fraction of richness of spiny plants) across three regions with high plant geolocational data density spanning three continents, China (Asia), South Africa (Africa), and Australia. Spiny plants accounted for 12% of woody species, but there are strong phylogenetic biases in the evolution of spiny lineages and lineages bearing different spine types. The proportion of spiny plants increased towards drier environments and higher soil clay contents, and decreased towards soils with greater total N. Species bearing different spine types appear to be distributed differently across climate and soil gradients, suggesting trade-offs across productivity gradients, specialization for climate space, and constraints on environmental adaptability. The spatial richness of spiny plants was positively correlated with estimated historical richness of large herbivorous mammals (body mass >20 kg, diet >90% plant material), and species bearing different spine types also mostly show positive relationships with mammal richness. Plants with spines appear to be advantaged over non-spiny species when exposed to high mammal browsing pressure in arid environments or over certain soil conditions, and species bearing different spine types are differentially advantaged across climate and soil gradients.

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Kunwar, A., Gélin, U.,  Subedi, N., Regmi, S., Tomlinson, K.W.*, Herbivory and fire influence soil and plant nutrient dynamics in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, 2025, Global Ecology and Conservation 60, e03610, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03610.

Abstract

In the context of global biodiversity loss and climate change, understanding how herbivores and fire shape plant-soil nutrient dynamics across vegetation types has become a global priority. In tropical Asia, the combined effects of herbivore assemblages, fire regimes, and plant community diversity on nutrients remain poorly understood. We investigated how herbivory and fire influence soil nutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and cation exchange capacity (CEC)) and plant nutrients (N, P, K), across five vegetation types – two forests (riverine, Shorea) and three grasslands (tall, short, grazing lawn) in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Across 50 plots (400 m² each), we quantified mammalian herbivory pressure using dung counts, fire frequency using satellite data, and analyzed 150 soil and 187 plant samples for nutrient concentrations. Herbivore dung and fire frequency varied markedly across habitats: herbivores were largely absent from tall grasslands while present in all other vegetation types, whereas fires were rare in short grassland and grazing lawns but frequent in tall grassland and forests. Overall, forests had higher soil and plant nutrient concentrations than grasslands. Soil N, K, and CEC increased with increasing dung counts across vegetation types, whereas plant K decreased with increasing dung counts only in Shorea forests and grazing lawns. Soil P and CEC increased, while plant N, P and K decreased with increasing fire frequency across vegetation types. For the two forest types, interactions between dung and fire counts decreased soil P, plant N and plant P in riverine forest but had no effect in Shorea forest. These findings highlight the additive and interactive impacts of herbivory and fire on nutrient cycling, emphasizing the need to manage disturbance regimes to sustain soil fertility, habitat quality, and biodiversity resilience in tropical landscapes.

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Putra, A.A., Nurainas,  Phoncharoen, W.,   Agung, A.P., Zhao, Y.,  Tomlinson, K.W.*, Grassland diversity across an aridity gradient in northern Sumatra is strongly associated with shifts in disturbance regimes, 2025, Global Ecology and Conservation, 60, e03619,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03619.

Abstract

Grassy vegetation is widely spread across Southeast Asia, yet very little data exists describing the diversity in these plant communities. Groundlayer diversity data is especially rare, with previous studies focussing on woody plants. Research in grassy ecosystems worldwide suggest that there are substantial differences in grassland community composition across climate aridity gradients, which are aligned with a switch from strong disturbance by fire in wetter sites to disturbance by mammalian herbivory in drier sites. The aim of this investigation was to record the groundlayer diversity of grasslands found in northern Sumatra Island, Indonesia, and to determine whether that diversity was structured fire and mammalian herbivory. We sampled ten 50 m x 50 m vegetation plots in grassy vegetation across an aridity gradient, with soil data and grazing pressure data collected on site, and climate and fire frequency data compiled from geographic resources. We classified all species according to two morphological characteristics that related to plant evolution under fire and herbivory, namely stem form and leaf placement. We recorded 89 groundlayer species across all plots, with an average of 29 species per plot. Our analysis confirmed that the strongest axis of community differentiation was with respect to the fire-grazing trade-off axis, which selected for specific adaptive stem and leaf placement morphologies. The groundlayer diversity of grasslands in northern Sumatra is closely related to other monsoonal regions of Southeast Asia, likely reflecting grassland connectivity during the last ice age. The abundance of disturbance-adapted species suggests appropriate use of fire and herbivory will be necessary to sustain these communities.

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Nimalrathna, T., Fan, H., Campos-Arceiz, A., Nakamura, A. (2025). Dung beetle iDNA provides an effective way to detect diverse mycological communities. Molecular Ecology Resources. DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.14091.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1755-0998.14091.

ABSTRACT

Fungi play crucial ecological and economic roles, yet their diversity and distribution remain poorly known and challenging to assess. Using recent advances in invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) for biodiversity monitoring, we investigated the potential of dung beetle iDNA for fungal sampling and monitoring. We sampled two habitats (rainforest vs. rubber plantation) and seasons (dry vs. rainy) in tropical Xishuangbanna, southwest China. We extracted, amplified and identified 9259 unique fungi Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) from the gut of three species of dung beetles (Paragymnopleurus sp., telecoprids; Onthophagus diabolicus, paracoprids; and Onthophagus cf. gracilipes, endocoprids). Fungal community composition was different across habitats and seasons, with the highest diversity found in the rainy season rainforest. Our results were consistent with previous eDNA-based studies based on soil samples in the detection of habitat differences (both approaches were able to detect low diversity of Basidiomycota in rubber plantations). However, our approach outperformed soil-based eDNA studies in being able to detect fungal occurrences associated with seasonal precipitation patterns. Our findings highlight the utility of dung beetle iDNA to uncover spatiotemporal dynamics of fungal communities across different habitats. The use of iDNA broadens fungal biodiversity research, strengthens fungal monitoring to assess anthropogenic impacts and presents opportunities to conserve fungal diversity.

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The Community Ecology and Conservation Group (CEC) recently hosted a highly engaging workshop, “Introduction to Bioinformatics and Omics Data Analysis,” from 10th to 14th February 2025 at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden. The event brought together European trainers, students, and professionals from China, all keen to explore the dynamic field of bioinformatics and its applications in omics data analysis.

The workshop aimed to equip participants with foundational knowledge and practical skills for handling large-scale biological datasets generated by genomics and transcriptomics. Over five intensive days, attendees learned essential tools, algorithms, and software used in bioinformatics, including hands-on sessions focused on data processing, visualisation, and interpretation.

Led by Dr. Guillem Ylla, head of the Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Genome Biology at Jagiellonian University (Kraków, Poland), the workshop featured interactive lectures and guided practical exercises. Dr. Ylla was supported by his postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Tomasz Gaczorek, who assisted with hands-on exercises. Key topics included an introduction to NGS data analysis and transcriptomics, de novo genome assembly (conducted by Dr. Evgenii Baiakhmetov, a special research assistant at CEC), population genomics (GWAS and SNP calling), and opportunities for direct interaction with the trainers.

Professor Kyle Tomlinson, one of the organisers, emphasised the workshop’s significance: “Bioinformatics is at the heart of modern biology, enabling us to decode complex omics data and drive scientific discovery. This programme fosters capacity-building and collaboration among young scientists.”

Participants praised the comprehensive curriculum and supportive environment, noting how the workshop empowered them to address their research challenges more effectively. Many expressed enthusiasm for applying their new skills to projects spanning biodiversity conservation and rapid speciation.

As the CEC continues to advance interdisciplinary science through cutting-edge approaches, this workshop highlights its commitment to fostering scientific innovation. Plans to expand future iterations of the programme are underway, ensuring accessibility to a broader audience.

Dela Torre, V.C.P., Pototan, B.L., Choa, R.R., Petros, G.D., Panogalinog, I.G.M., Bacus, M.G., Raganas, A.F.M., Gamalo, L.E.D., Quibod, M.N.R.M. (2025). Habitat associations of bats in the green spaces of Davao City, Mindanao, Southern Philippines. Mammal Research 70: 115-126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-024-00767-w

Abstract

Green spaces in synanthropic environments are known to provide suitable habitats for wildlife species; however, these green spaces also influence the dynamics of bat populations, especially due to their sensitivity to habitat fragmentation, which has conservation and ecological implications. Currently, there is still limited information on bats’ habitat associations in green spaces, hindering our understanding of their ecological requirements. This study aimed to determine the habitat association and local range distribution of bat species in the green spaces of Davao City, the largest city by land area in the southern Philippines, employing conventional mist-netting techniques. We recorded a total of 3,674 bat individuals, representing 17 species belonging to six families, of which five are Philippine endemics. We examined three habitat types of green spaces (i.e., synanthropic, forest, and subterranean). Synanthropic habitats harbored most bat individuals, which constituted 52% of bats observed, followed by forests (40%), and subterranean (8%). Some bat species showed strong habitat affinity: Rousettus amplexicaudatus in synanthropic habitats, Cynopterus brachyotis in forests, and Rhinolophus arcuatus in subterranean habitats, especially caves. Similarities in species composition were observed between synanthropic and forest habitats, whereas subterranean species displayed specialized niche dependence. The results of this study further revealed that bat species prefer to utilize their natural habitats but are more abundant in human-altered landscapes or synanthropic habitats. Prioritizing the protection of bats’ remaining natural habitats in urban green spaces is thus highly recommended.

For more details on papers published from this group, click here.

Pilon, N., Peixoto,F., Oliveira, R.S., Carolina, C.A., Alqueres, O.J., Alvarado, S., … , Tomlinson, K.W., …, Durigan, G. (2025). Open letter: There are more than just trees and forests to be conserved and restored. Plants, People, Planet. DOI: 10.1002/ppp3.10635

OPEN LETTER TO POLICYMAKERS AT THE 16TH MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (COP 16, CALI, COLOMBIA, 2024)

Tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas have historically been neglected in global and local conservation policies. As a result, nearly half of their coverage has been lost. In 2023, the world’s most biodiverse savanna (Brazilian Cerrado) lost 1.110.326 ha, increasing the rate of land conversion by 67.7% (MapBiomas, 2024). The resulting biodiversity and ecosystem service losses, including the ability to mitigate climate change, are profound and irreversible.

As scientists specialized in ecology, conservation, and restoration, from around the world, we call on policymakers at COP 16 to act decisively: Tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas matter for biodiversity protection, and the future of this planet relies on these ecosystems to the same extent it relies on forests.

We urge the following commitments:

* Prioritize conservation and adequate management of grasslands and savannas.

* Establish mechanisms to reduce and halt land conversion in these ecosystems immediately.

* Promote conservation aligned with local economic activities, such as ecotourism and sustainable bioeconomic initiatives.

* Reject afforestation initiatives disguised as restoration efforts that harm these unique ecosystems.

Grasslands and savannas harbor an extraordinary biodiversity of light-loving fauna and flora, with up to 60 plants per square meter in some regions (Silva Menezes et al., 2018; Wilson et al., 2012). Many of these species are endemic and at risk of extinction. These ancient ecosystems are home to an astonishing cultural legacy and diversity. They are not only crucial for species conservation but also water security and carbon storage. For example, most of the major rivers in the Amazon originate in montane grasslands in the Andes, the Cerrado, and the Guyana Plateau. Peat soils in South American savannas store more carbon belowground than tropical forests do aboveground. These carbon stocks, some dating back 40,000 years, are at risk if inappropriate land use practices like soil drainage or large-scale tree planting disrupt natural water cycles.

Once open ecosystems are degraded, they rarely regain their original biodiversity and function. Effective restoration remains a challenge, while promising, restored open ecosystems rarely fully recover the complexity, diversity, or resilience of pristine ecosystems (Nerlekar & Veldman, 2020; Pilon et al., 2023; Zaloumis & Bond, 2011). This makes immediate conservation the most effective tool in mitigating biodiversity loss and maintaining ecosystem services.

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is meaningless without a solid policy to reduce and stop land conversion. Conserving the remaining tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas is the only assurance that future generations will benefit from the services these ecosystems provide. We believe in the potential of restoration, but it cannot replace effective biodiversity protection. Robust environmental policies must be grounded in scientific evidence and prioritize both present and future societal well-being. As scientists and citizens, we emphasize the critical need to conserve what remains of these ecosystems. While science works toward restoring what has been lost, conservation is our best defense against the biodiversity crisis and the loss of essential ecosystem services.

For more details on papers published from this group, click here.

R.K. Chaturvedi , Anshuman Tripathi, Rajiv Pandey , A.S. Raghubansi , J.S. Singh. Assessment of habitat features modulated carbon sequestration strategies for drought management in tropical dry forest fragments. Science of the Total Environment (2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175703

Abstract

Habitat features, such as species diversity, functional diversity, tree size, disturbances and fragment sizes have differential impacts on carbon (C) storage and C-sequestration in forest ecosystems. Present study attempted to understand the tree strategies for modulating C-sequestration capacity across tropical dry forest fragments with variable edge distances. We evaluated the differences between drought strategies (i.e., drought avoiding and drought tolerant) for variations in stem density, relative growth rate (RGR), C-storage and C-sequestration, species diversity, functional diversity, tree size and disturbance indicators along edge distance gradient, besides analyzed the differences between drought strategies for responses of C-storage and C-sequestration to variations in species diversity, functional diversity, tree size and disturbance indicators. Various traits and functional indices were analyzed using standard statistical techniques. For total trees and for the two drought strategies, generalized linear modeling results showed a significant decline in stem density, RGR, C-stock, C-sequestration, species diversity, functional diversity and tree size indicators, while a considerable increase in disturbance indicators, along decreasing edge distance across the fragments. The drought strategies exhibited a high degree of variation in the slope of associations for above variables with edge distance across fragments. For predicting C-sequestration, structural equation modeling results showed highly significant influence of functional diversity indicators for drought avoiding strategy, while species diversity indicators were strongly significant for drought tolerant strategy. Moreover, fire index and drought index were critical predictors for C-sequestration for drought avoiding and drought tolerant strategies, respectively. This study provide inputs to understand the largely ignored processes of C-storage and C-sequestration in fragmented forests, which are currently prevalent due to heavy anthropogenic pressures. Our findings are useful for forest managers to understand vegetation responses to interactions of species diversity, functional diversity, tree size and disturbance indicators, for predicting the stability of larger fragments and for planning restoration of smaller fragments.

For more details on papers published from this group, click here.

Anest, A., Bouchenak-Khelladi, Y., Charles-Dominique, T., Felix, F., Yves, C., Gareth, P. H., Olivier, M., Kyle, W. T., Blocking then stinging as a case of two-step evolution of defensive cage architectures in herbivore-driven ecosystems. Nat. Plants (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-024-01649-4

Abstract

Dense branching and spines are common features of plant species in ecosystems with high mammalian herbivory pressure. While dense branching and spines can inhibit herbivory independently, when combined, they form a powerful defensive cage architecture. However, how cage architecture evolved under mammalian pressure has remained unexplored. Here we show how dense branching and spines emerged during the age of mammalian radiation in the Combretaceae family and diversified in herbivore-driven ecosystems in the tropics. Phylogenetic comparative methods revealed that modern plant architectural strategies defending against large mammals evolved via a stepwise process. First, dense branching emerged under intermediate herbivory pressure, followed by the acquisition of spines that supported higher speciation rates under high herbivory pressure. Our study highlights the adaptive value of dense branching as part of a herbivore defence strategy and identifies large mammal herbivory as a major selective force shaping the whole plant architecture of woody plants.

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