A5019070622- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Forest Management and Policy
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Marine animal studies overview
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Indigenous Studies and Ecology
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Plant Reproductive Biology
- Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences
- Lichen and fungal ecology
- Climate Change, Adaptation, Migration
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
Swiss Ornithological Institute
2019-2024
Oregon State University
2016-2022
Research Network (United States)
2016-2022
Bern University of Applied Sciences
2018-2022
Ecological Society of America
2020
John Wiley & Sons (United States)
2020
University of Göttingen
2012-2019
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research
2012-2017
University of Bern
2010-2012
SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics
2012
Agricultural intensification is one of the main causes for current biodiversity crisis. While reversing habitat loss on agricultural land challenging, increasing farmland configurational heterogeneity (higher field border density) and compositional crop diversity) has been proposed to counteract some loss. Here, we tested whether increased promote wild pollinators plant reproduction in 229 landscapes located four major western European regions. High-field density consistently bee abundance...
Abstract A large proportion of European biodiversity today depends on habitat provided by low‐intensity farming practices, yet this resource is declining as agriculture intensifies. Within the Union, particularly central and eastern new member states have retained relatively areas species‐rich farmland, but despite increased investment in nature conservation here recent years, farmland trends appear to be worsening. Although high value Central Eastern has long been reported, amount research...
Vulnerability to habitat fragmentation Habitat caused by human activities has consequences for the distribution and movement of organisms. Betts et al. present a global analysis how exposure affects composition ecological communities (see Perspective Hargreaves). In dataset consisting 4489 animal species, regions that historically experienced little disturbance tended harbor higher proportion species vulnerable fragmentation. Species in more frequently disturbed were resilient. High-latitude...
Summary 1. Habitat fragmentation is a major threat to biodiversity and can lead the loss of both species ecosystem services, but effects vary greatly between studies studied organisms. Understanding distinct habitat amount isolation at patch landscape scale may account for some this variation. 2. We in 30 traditional orchards that were selected independent variation scale. analysed richness abundance snails, beetles, true bugs, spiders breeding birds avoid open farmland occur woody...
Tropical biodiversity and associated ecosystem functions have become heavily eroded through habitat loss. Animal-mediated pollination is required in more than 94% of higher tropical plant species 75% the world's leading food crops, but it remains unclear if corridors avert deforestation-driven breakdown fragmented landscapes. Here, we used manipulative resource experiments field observations to show that functionally connect neotropical forest fragments for forest-associated hummingbirds...
Aim Biodiversity across the globe is heavily eroded by intensified management at local and landscape scales. Species communities of calcareous grasslands, which are among Europe's most diverse habitats, severely threatened cessation appropriate traditional management, loss habitat connectivity simplification surrounding landscape. However, our understanding these often interrelated factors remains limited, in particular for trait-mediated responses taxa. Here, we test independent effects...
Abstract The arrival‐time hypothesis of partial seasonal migration proposes that over‐winter residence is driven by reproductive benefits early presence on the breeding grounds. Thus, it predicts increased occurrence at age. In contrast, body size age‐independent for large individuals, who should exhibit greater winter tolerance. Despite different expectations in age patterns two hypotheses long‐lived partially migrant species, there little empirical work investigating ontogeny migratory...
Habitat loss and fragmentation of forests are among the biggest threats to biodiversity associated ecosystem services in tropical landscapes. We use vicinity Las Cruces Biological Station southern Costa Rica as a regional case study document seven decades land-use change one most intensively studied sites Neotropics. Though premontane wet forest was largely intact 1947, wave immigration 1952 initiated rapid changes over short period. Overall cover reduced during each time interval analyzed...
Abstract Research hypotheses have been a cornerstone of science since before Galileo. Many argued that (1) encourage discovery mechanisms, and (2) reduce bias—both features should increase transferability reproducibility. However, we are entering new era big data highly predictive models where some argue the hypothesis is outmoded. We hypothesized use has declined in ecology evolution 1990s, given substantial advancement tools further facilitating descriptive, correlative research....
ABSTRACT Anthropogenic activities threaten many wildlife populations by increasing mortality rates, making it crucial to identify the locations and causes of inform conservation actions. Technological advancements, such as GPS satellite tracking, enable precise recording movements. High‐resolution data from devices can facilitate rapid carcass recovery provide insights into tagged individuals. Obtaining required information determine these is complex, standardized approaches overcome...
Abstract Tropical conservation strategies traditionally focus on large tracts of pristine forests but, given rapid primary forest decline, understanding the role secondary remnants for biodiversity maintenance is critical. Until now, interactive effects changes in amount, configuration and disturbance history (secondary vs. forest) value tropical landscapes have remained unknown, hampering incorporation these global change drivers into local planning. We disentangled landscape‐wide fragment...
The joint effects of interacting environmental factors on key demographic parameters can exacerbate or mitigate the separate factors' population dynamics. Given ongoing changes in climate and land use, assessing interactions between weather food availability reproductive performance is crucial to understand forecast By conducting a feeding experiment 4 years with different conditions, we were able disentangle weather, their an expanding red kite (Milvus milvus), conservation-relevant raptor...
Abstract Context Dead wood is a key habitat for saproxylic species, which are often used as indicators of quality in forests. Understanding how the amount and spatial distribution dead landscape affects communities therefore important maintaining high forest biodiversity. Objectives We investigated effects isolation on alpha beta diversity four species groups, with focus scale influences results. Methods inventoried beetles, wood-inhabiting fungi, epixylic bryophytes lichens 62 plots...
Food shortage challenges the development of nestlings; yet, to cope with this stressor, nestlings can induce stress responses adjust metabolism or behaviour. also enhances antagonism between siblings, but it remains unclear whether response induced by food operates via individual nutritional state social environment experienced. In addition, understanding these processes is hindered fact that effects availability often co-vary other environmental factors. We used a supplementation experiment...
Abstract Habitat fragmentation studies have produced complex results that are challenging to synthesize. Inconsistencies among may result from variation in the choice of landscape metrics and response variables, which is often compounded by a lack key statistical or methodological information. Collating primary datasets on biodiversity responses consistent flexible database permits simple data retrieval for subsequent analyses. We present relational links such field taxonomic nomenclature,...
Abstract Agricultural intensification and the subsequent fragmentation of semi-natural habitats severely restrict pollinator pollen movement threatening both plant species. Linear landscape elements such as hedgerows are planted for agricultural conservation purposes to increase resource availability habitat connectivity supporting populations beneficial organisms pollinators. However, may have unexpected effects on persistence by not just channeling pollinators along, but also restricting...
Animals select their habitat along environmental gradients, but the mechanisms that constrain ecological requirements of an individual can differ between life stages. Dispersal is a key demographic process determines gene flow and alters species distributions, yet few empirical studies have examined whether selection in animals changing during dispersal. In this study, we changes preferences natal dispersal red kites Milvus milvus , European raptor species. By deploying solar‐powered GPS‐GSM...
Early-life experiences can drive subsequent variation in social behaviours, but how differences among individuals emerge remains unknown. We combined experimental manipulations with GPS-tracking to investigate the pathways through which developmental conditions affect network position during early dispersal of wild red kites (Milvus milvus). Across 211 juveniles from 140 broods, last-hatched chicks-the least competitive-had fewest number peer encounters after fledging. However, when food...
Abstract Generating spatial predictions of species distribution is a central task for research and policy. Currently, correlative models (cSDMs) are among the most widely used tools this purpose. However, fundamental assumption cSDMs, that distributions in equilibrium with their environment, rarely fulfilled real data limits applicability cSDMs dynamic projections. Process‐based, SDMs (dSDMs) promise to overcome these limitations as they explicitly represent transient dynamics enhance...