Abstract Here, we aimed to define ecological indicators of environmental change for monitoring the effect a reintroduced species, Iberian ibex ( Capra pyrenaica ), over vegetation natural protected area with contrasting habitats. This species was 30 years ago in Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, Spain, and its population has since grown exponentially, reaching high densities some areas. We te...

The frequency of obesity has risen dramatically in recent years but only few effective and safe drugs are available. We investigated if green-plant membranes, previously shown to reduce subjective hunger and promote satiety signals, could affect body weight when given long-term. 38 women (40-65 years of age, body mass index 25-33 kg/m(2)) were randomized to dietary supplementation with either g...

Harsh habitats dominated by invasive species are difficult to restore. Invasive grasses in arid environments slow succession toward more desired composition, yet grass removal exacerbates high light and temperature, making the use of "nurse plants" an appealing strategy. In this study of degraded subtropical woodlands dominated by alien grasses in Hawai'i, we evaluated whether individuals of tw...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Selective feeding by herbivores, especially at the seedling or juvenile phase, has the potential to change plant traits and ultimately the susceptibility of surviving plants to other enemies. Moreover, since hybridization is important to speciation and can lead to introgression of traits between plant species, differential feeding (herbivore-induced mortality) can influence ...

Can the evolution of plant defense lead to an optimal primary production? In a general theoretical model, Loreau (1995) and de Mazancourt et al. (1998, 1999) have shown that herbivory could increase primary production up to a moderate rate of grazing intensity through recycling of a limiting nutrient, provided several conditions are fulfilled. In the present paper, we assume: (1) grazing intens...

Worms and other marine invertebrates living in soft sediments commonly produce brominated natural products that have been hypothesized to function as defenses against consumers, but this hypothesis has not been tested directly. When 16 species of worms from a Georgia mud flat were fed to two sympatric fishes (Fundulus heteroclitus, Leiostomus xanthurus) and a crab (Callinectes similis), 15 spec...

With the advent of molecular phylogenies the assessment of community assembly processes has become a central topic in community ecology. These processes have focused almost exclusively on habitat filtering and competitive exclusion. Recent evidence, however, indicates that facilitation has been important in preserving biodiversity over evolutionary time, with recent lineages conserving the rege...

The vegetation structure and composition, and the activities of kokako were studied intensively in five home ranges in Puketi Forest to determine the significance of kauri to kokako, and the likely impacts of logging and browsing mammals upon kokako. Typically, kokako home ranges in Puketi Forest were situated mainly in dissected terrain and contained a great diversity of vegetation types and s...

Abstract The loss of species from ecosystems can have cascading impacts on interactions and ecosystem function. Australia has experienced the greatest mammals globally in past 200 years, but we know little how this suite engineers herbivores affected vegetation. We used a threatened mammal reintroduction sanctuary to investigate effects ecologically extinct plant assemblages. First, tested net ...