Abstract: Abstract The fundamental value of universal nomenclatural systems in biology is that they enable unambiguous scientific communication. However, the stability of these systems is threatened by recent discussions asking for a fairer nomenclature, raising the possibility of bulk revision processes for “inappropriate” names. It is evident that such proposals come from very deep feelings, but we show how they can irreparably damage the foundation of biological communication and, in turn, the sciences that depend on it. There are four essential consequences of objective codes of nomenclature: universality, stability, neutrality, and transculturality. These codes provide fair and impartial guides to the principles governing biological nomenclature and allow unambiguous universal communication in biology. Accordingly, no subjective proposals should be allowed to undermine them.

Abstract: Abstract Under climate change, ecosystems are experiencing novel drought regimes, often in combination with stressors that reduce resilience and amplify drought’s impacts. Consequently, drought appears increasingly likely to push systems beyond important physiological and ecological thresholds, resulting in substantial changes in ecosystem characteristics persisting long after drought ends (i.e., ecological transformation). In the present article, we clarify how drought can lead to transformation across a wide variety of ecosystems including forests, woodlands, and grasslands. Specifically, we describe how climate change alters drought regimes and how this translates to impacts on plant population growth, either directly or through drought's interactions with factors such as land management, biotic interactions, and other disturbances. We emphasize how interactions among mechanisms can inhibit postdrought recovery and can shift trajectories toward alternate states. Providing a holistic picture of how drought initiates long-term change supports the development of risk assessments, predictive models, and management strategies, enhancing preparedness for a complex and growing challenge.

Abstract: Two decades ago, Gaston and O'Neill (2004) deliberated on why automated species identification had not become widely employed. We no longer have to wonder: This AI-based technology is here, embedded in numerous web and mobile apps used by large audiences interested in nature. Now that automated species identification tools are available, popular, and efficient, it is time to look at how the apps are developed, what they promise, and how users appraise them. Delving into the automated species identification apps landscape, we found that free and paid apps differ fundamentally in presentation, experience, and the use of biodiversity and personal data. However, these two business models are deeply intertwined. Going forward, although big tech companies will eventually take over the landscape, citizen science programs will likely continue to have their own identification tools because of their specific purpose and their ability to create a strong sense of belonging among naturalist communities.

Abstract: The scarcity of long-term observational data has limited the use of statistical or machine-learning techniques for predicting intraannual ecological variation. However, time-stamped citizen-science observation records, supported by media data such as photographs, are increasingly available. In the present article, we present a novel framework based on the concept of relative phenological niche, using machine-learning algorithms to model observation records as a temporal sample of environmental conditions in which the represented ecological phenomenon occurs. Our approach accurately predicts the temporal dynamics of ecological events across large geographical scales and is robust to temporal bias in recording effort. These results highlight the vast potential of citizen-science observation data to predict ecological phenomena across space, including in near real time. The framework is also easily applicable for ecologists and practitioners already using machine-learning and statistics-based predictive approaches.

Abstract: Abstract Invasions by nonnative insect species can massively disrupt ecological processes, often leading to serious economic impacts. Previous work has identified propagule pressure as important driver of the trend of increasing numbers of insect invasions worldwide. In the present article, we propose an alternative hypothesis—that insect invasions are being driven by the proliferation of nonnative plants, which create niches for insect specialists and facilitate their establishment outside their native ranges where their hosts are planted or are invasive. We synthesize mechanisms by which plant invasions facilitate insect invasions, macroecological patterns supporting the tight link between plant and insect invasions, and case studies of plant invasions having facilitated subsequent insect establishment. This body of evidence indicates that plant invasions are a major driver of insect invasions. Consequently, the benefits of limiting the spread of nonnative plants include averting the proliferation of nonnative insects and their spillover onto native plant species.

Abstract: Abstract Pollinators, which provide vital services to wild ecosystems and agricultural crops, are facing global declines and habitat loss. As undeveloped land becomes increasingly scarce, much focus has been directed recently to roadsides as potential target zones for providing floral resources to pollinators. Roadsides, however, are risky places for pollinators, with threats from vehicle collisions, toxic pollutants, mowing, herbicides, and more. Although these threats have been investigated, most studies have yet to quantify the costs and benefits of roadsides to pollinators and, therefore, do not address whether the costs outweigh the benefits for pollinator populations using roadside habitats. In this article, we address how, when, and under what conditions roadside habitats may benefit or harm pollinators, reviewing existing knowledge and recommending practical questions that managers and policymakers should consider when planning pollinator-focused roadside management.

Abstract: Abstract The Corubal (Guinea-Bissau) is a wild but underexplored river in West Africa. This study underscores the potential of environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys to fill biodiversity knowledge gaps in the region. We filtered large water volumes at 11 sites along the watershed, amplified multiple molecular markers, and performed high PCR (polymerase chain reaction) replication and in-depth sequencing. We recorded 2589 amplicon sequence variants, with accumulation curves indicating the need for additional sampling to achieve a thorough survey. The taxonomic assignments were constrained by the scarcity of genomic resources. We recorded 125 species of aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates, including 21 new to the country, predominantly fish (61.9%). Surprisingly, crocodiles were not detected, despite their known presence. There were 11 imperiled species, two of which are Critically Endangered (Western chimpanzee and the mussel Pleiodon ovatus). Our findings support the conservation importance of the Corubal, provide a baseline for future monitoring, and highlight the challenges and opportunities of eDNA surveys in remote tropical rivers.

Abstract: Abstract We conducted a meta-analysis to test the impacts of one active learning teaching strategy, group work, on student performance by calculating estimates across 91 studies from 53 articles. Our overall estimate indicates that the implementation of group work in biology classrooms increased student performance by 1.00 standard deviation, which we contextualized as a change greater than one letter grade. Moderator analyses revealed that this increase in performance held across all group sizes, class sizes, biology and life science majors and nonmajors, and whether the groups were assigned by the instructor. However, we did not observe increased performance in graduate level courses, in cases where group work was incorporated for only part of the course term (e.g., less than a semester or quarter) or when the group work was not graded. These results demonstrate that group work leads to impressive boosts in student performance and underscores the value of studying specific active learning strategies.

Abstract: Abstract The competitive success of ferns has been foundational to hypotheses about terrestrial recolonization following biotic upheaval, from wildfires to the Cretaceous–Paleogene asteroid impact (66 million years ago). Rapid fern recolonization in primary successional environments has been hypothesized to be driven by ferns’ high spore production and wind dispersal, with an emphasis on their competitive advantages as so-called disaster taxa. We propose that a competition-based view of ferns is outdated and in need of reexamination in light of growing research documenting the importance of positive interactions (i.e., facilitation) between ferns and other species. Here, we integrate fossil and modern perspectives on fern ecology to propose that ferns act as facilitators of community assemblage following biotic upheaval by stabilizing substrates, enhancing soil properties, and mediating competition. Our reframing of ferns as facilitators has broad implications for both community ecology and ecosystem recovery dynamics, because of ferns’ global distribution and habitat diversity.

Abstract: Abstract Ecological risk assessments are legally required to ensure that there are no unacceptable risks to living organisms from exposure to chemicals and other anthropogenic stressors. Significant data gaps, however, make it difficult to conduct such assessments for all species that we wish to protect. Consequently, there is growing interest in trait-based approaches because they provide a more functional and context-independent basis for characterizing biodiversity that is useful for biomonitoring, conservation, and management. In the present article, we discuss how trait-based approaches can support risk assessment, identify vulnerable and representative species to be used in ecological modeling, and inform decision-making more generally. We use examples to demonstrate the utility of trait-based approaches but also highlight some of the challenges and open questions that remain to be addressed.

Abstract: Abstract Today, at the international level, powerful data portals are available to biodiversity researchers and policymakers, offering increasingly robust computing and network capacities and capable data services for internationally agreed-on standards. These accelerate individual and complex workflows to map data-driven research processes or even to make them possible for the first time. At the national level, however, and alongside these international developments, national infrastructures are needed to take on tasks that cannot be easily funded or addressed internationally. To avoid gaps, as well as redundancies in the research landscape, national tasks and responsibilities must be clearly defined to align efforts with core priorities. In the present article, we outline 10 essential functions of national biodiversity data infrastructures. They serve as key providers, facilitators, mediators, and platforms for effective biodiversity data management, integration, and analysis that require national efforts to foster biodiversity science, policy, and practice.

Abstract: Abstract Science communication (scicomm) shapes our world by helping people use science to make societal and personal decisions. Supporting and doing ethical scicomm requires valuing diverse perspectives and the people who do scicomm. Unfortunately, institutional hurdles ingrained in academia impede and undermine ethical scicomm. The injustices impeding scicomm stem from the prestige paradigm of academia (articulated in the present article), which reinforces hierarchical relationships in an exclusionary and exploitative system. To move academia forward, we name and review these injustices through the lens of five realms of scicomm (scientific communication, teaching scicomm, academics engaging in scicomm, scicomm research, and scicomm careers beyond academia). We then provide a novel framework, helping readers identify axes of influence and how they can leverage their intersectional, academic capital to take concrete action to remove the hurdles impeding ethical scicomm in academia.

Abstract: Abstract The high demand for information on how coral reefs are changing often exceeds the capacity of the scientific community to deliver the data necessary to meet this need. However, given the degraded state of coral reefs and the poor prognosis for their recovery, it is reasonable to ask whether coral reef monitoring should continue. Using my experiences from a 37-year study in the US Virgin Islands, I highlight the information that monitoring conveys on the changing state of coral reefs, and underscore how the interpretation of ecological trends matures with increasing longevity of records. Because the past is an imperfect predictor of the future, monitoring coral reefs remains an important endeavor. It offers the only opportunity to understand how reefs will continue to change, to connect patterns of change to the processes causing them to occur, and to create opportunities for management to best ensure their future.

Abstract: Journal Article Brazil's Cerrado cannot be a sacrifice zone for the Amazon: financial assistance and stricter laws are needed Get access Cássio Cardoso Pereira, Cássio Cardoso Pereira Knowledge Center for Biodiversity, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil Email: cassiocardosopereira@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6017-4083 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Stephannie Fernandes, Stephannie Fernandes Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies at Florida International University, Miami, Florida, United States https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2049-1164 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Walisson Kenedy-Siqueira, Walisson Kenedy-Siqueira Knowledge Center for Biodiversity, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7766-9077 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Daniel Negreiros, Daniel Negreiros Knowledge Center for Biodiversity, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4780-2284 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Geraldo Wilson Fernandes, Geraldo Wilson Fernandes Knowledge Center for Biodiversity, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1559-6049 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Philip Martin Fearnside Philip Martin Fearnside National Institute for Research in Amazonia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3672-9082 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar BioScience, biae063, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae063 Published: 28 August 2024 Article history Received: 17 May 2024 Accepted: 27 May 2024 Published: 28 August 2024

Abstract: Abstract Museum specimens document the impacts of interacting and increasingly pervasive environmental stressors on global biodiversity. Environmental, sampling, and management records are needed to interpret the causes of these changes and address collection biases; however, such data are rarely available in museum catalogues. We outline a process to join collections and associated data using data science workflows in tandem with community science tools. Our approach is illustrated with a case study of lake survey data from Michigan that provide ecological context for catalogued fish specimens. Using the web-based community science platform Zooniverse, we engage stakeholders, public, and educational audiences. Our process includes five key steps: archive assessment and preparing images, workflow development, community engagement and data transcription, data curation, and data archiving. Integrating historical records with museum specimens can clarify environmental impacts on biodiversity over recent history and refine our predictions of future impacts.

Abstract: Abstract Scientific history has many examples of profound statements that are later found to be unsubstantiated. The consequences of such misinformation can be dire. In the present article, we present a case where an unevidenced estimate of global lichen coverage proliferated through both scientific literature and popular media. We traced this estimate to a non-peer-reviewed publication from 1987. We found 76 academic articles (collectively cited 4125 times) and 13 other academic documents citing the statistic, citation chains without source attribution, and instances where the number or context was changed. We also found the statistic 37 times in popular media, which is especially concerning, given that these media communicate science to the broader public. We demonstrate how an unevidenced statement can spread, change through time, and ultimately be repeated without demand for evidence. We hope this case unplugs the telephone and provides a cautionary tale for researchers to ensure critical evaluation of citation and communication practices.

Abstract: Abstract Terminal lakes are declining globally because of human water demands, drought, and climate change. Through literature synthesis and feedback from the resource and conservation community, we review the state of research for terminal lakes in the Great Basin of the United States, which support millions of waterbirds annually, to prioritize ecological and hydrologic information needs. From an ecological perspective, research priorities include measuring the underlying differences in waterbird resource selection and distribution, migratory connectivity, abiotic factors that interact with prey densities to affect prey availability, and waterbird fitness or demography. Integrated links between water availability, water quality, and food webs are lacking in the literature. Scarce water availability data hinder the current knowledge of water extraction and evapotranspiration rates. Research that can address these priorities would help advance our understanding of how the Great Basin terminal lakes function as an interrelated system and support conservation efforts to reverse the decline of these critical lakes.

Abstract: Multiple anthropogenic forces have pushed river ecosystems into undesirable states with no clear understanding of how they should be best managed. The advancement of riverine fish habitat models intended to provide management insights has slowed. Investigations into theoretical and empirical gaps to define habitat more comprehensively across different scales and ecological organizations are crucial in managing the freshwater biodiversity crisis. We introduce the concept of novel riverscapes to reconcile anthropogenic forcing, fish habitat, limitations of current fish habitat models, and opportunities for new models. We outline three priority data-driven opportunities that incorporate the novel riverscape concept: fish movement, river behavior, and drivers of novelty that all are integrated into a scale-based framework to guide the development of new models. Last, we present a case study showing how researchers, model developers, and practitioners can work collaboratively to implement the novel riverscape concept.

Abstract: Abstract Telecoupling interactions between social–ecological systems across large, often global distances drive negative impacts from the forest-based carbon market. However, these negative impacts have been underreported and, therefore, have likely been vastly underestimated. We identify how these unintended negative impacts may occur and provide recommendations for the forest-based carbon market to better account for externalities by prioritizing positive social impact, expanding comprehensive ecological outcomes, and improving the transparency of investments. We call for a carbon market that is designed to account for its global interconnectedness.

Abstract: Abstract Indirect ecological effects—in which interactions of two species are modified by another species or abiotic factor—are generally considered equal to or greater in magnitude than direct effects. The ecological literature describing indirect effects suffers from redundancy and confusion regarding terminology and quantification, limiting its utility to regulators working to estimate indirect relative to direct effects in assessing environmental risks of development. To evaluate consideration for indirect ecological effects in regulatory practice, we reviewed 24 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents for proposed US mining projects to compare the treatment of indirect effects in the regulatory versus ecological literature. A clear dichotomy between regulatory and academic definitions of indirect effects suggests that NEPA documents overlook scientifically defined ecological impacts of development. Consequently, for scientific inquiry to be useful to regulators and for regulation of development to comprehensively assess risks, multidisciplinary efforts are urgently needed to bridge the gap between ecological science and environmental management.

Abstract: Abstract A consortium of scientific societies recently identified challenges to inclusivity within the biology communities they represent. Specifically, societies encounter difficulties collecting member demographic data effectively, integrating scientists at transitional career stages, and diversifying their leadership. In response, the Leveraging, Enhancing, and Developing Biology (LED-BIO) research coordination network (NSF 2134725) organized two meetings at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA to gather stakeholders and employ top-down and bottom-up organizational approaches to address these challenges. These meetings included Town Hall and Think Tank events to facilitate open dialogue and gather feedback on policies and programs from national organizations in attendance. These discussions provided valuable insights into the barriers societies face and the available resources and interventions societies use to promote inclusivity. This article uses the LED-BIO research coordination network as a case study to discuss the Town Hall-Think Tank-Consensus Building (TTC) methodology for advancing inclusive excellence in scientific communities.

Abstract: Abstract As science becomes ever more collaborative, the mechanisms for working in large and more diverse groups become more necessary. In the present article, I explore the utility of within-group collaboration agreements on participant conduct toward other project participants, within-group data sharing, and authorship of published manuscripts for research groups. Such agreements can solidify the expectations of the interactions among collaborators, potential rewards, and a feeling of security for those involved in the projects. They could also lead to more productive and satisfying research, as well as improving the training of future scientists.

Abstract: Abstract Increasing organic carbon storage in river corridors (channels and floodplains) is a potential cobenefit of some river restoration approaches, raising the possibility of using restoration to produce carbon credits and, therefore, increase restoration funding. However, the uncertainty already associated with existing carbon credits is compounded in river corridors, which are dynamic on daily, seasonal, annual, and longer timescales. We currently do not know how much river restoration approaches could increase carbon storage or how significant increased organic carbon storage from restoration would be compared with other forms of climate mitigation. We also do not know whether river corridor carbon credits could meet market needs for quickly established, stable, and simple credits. Therefore, we argue that biophysical and political economic uncertainties make river corridor restoration carbon credits currently unfeasible but that research on river restoration projects would demonstrate whether restoration carbon credits could be feasible in the future.

Abstract: Abstract Recruitment is central to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within higher education, but how faculty recruit their graduate students and consider DEI in this context remains unknown. We surveyed environmental science faculty across the United States, aiming to better understand what faculty value when recruiting, as well as when, how, and why they consider DEI. We show that faculty valued applicant character traits highest, followed by soft skills and relevant technical experience. DEI-related criteria were of low to medium importance and were generally rated lower by faculty who were White, male, and at R1 institutions, although there were nuances related to applicant degree (MS versus PhD), whether we were asking about the applicant’s commitment to DEI or their demographic identity, and the stage of the recruitment process. We identified opportunities for more inclusive graduate recruitment, including higher pay, more objective evaluation strategies, and a need for institutions to incentivize productivity without undermining the faculty’s ability to attract diverse graduate students.

Abstract: Journal Article A call for clarity: Embracing the debate on pesticide regulation to protect pollinators Get access Adrian Fisher, II, Adrian Fisher, II Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States Email: afishe16@asu.edu https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5300-1910 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Rafaela Tadei, Rafaela Tadei Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar May Berenbaum, May Berenbaum University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar James Nieh, James Nieh University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, United States Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Harry Siviter, Harry Siviter University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United StatesUniversity of Bristol, Bristol, England, United Kingdom Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar James Crall, James Crall University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8981-3782 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Jordan R Glass, Jordan R Glass Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7521-2698 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Felicity Muth, Felicity Muth University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0904-0589 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Ling-Hsiu Liao, Ling-Hsiu Liao University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Kirsten Traynor, Kirsten Traynor State Institute of Bee Research, at the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar ... Show more Nicole DesJardins, Nicole DesJardins Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Roberta Nocelli, Roberta Nocelli Federal University of São Carlos, Araras, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2900-6310 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Noa Simon-Delso, Noa Simon-Delso BeeLife European Beekeeping Coordination, Louvain la Neuve, Belgium Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Jon F Harrison Jon F Harrison Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5223-216X Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar BioScience, biae009, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae009 Published: 20 February 2024 Article history Received: 17 January 2024 Accepted: 31 January 2024 Published: 20 February 2024