PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET

- In many taxa the expected number of species is still uncertain, hampering conservation, especially in the diverse tropical regions of Earth. Here we use the plant family Bromeliaceae as a model to explore the history and future of species discovery from the Neotropics global biodiversity hotspot. - We use a newly curated complete list of described species together with species geographic distributions and information on taxonomic authors to explore patterns of past species description. Furthermore, we use logistic models to estimate the expected number of species in the family, the subfamilies, the largest genera and the relationship with geographic range. - In the past species discovery was dominated by researchers from Europe (mid-18th to mid-20th century), then researchers from the USA (mid to end of 20 century) and finally researchers from Latin America (21st century). The average number of species described per year increased from 0.6 between 1750 and 1800 to 33.8 between 2001 and 2025. Furthermore, description shifted from widespread species to species with smaller ranges, mostly from Brazil and the Andes from Bolivia to Mexico. We project the expected number of Bromeliaceae species at 6,658 to 7,498, leaving the current number of described species only at 55 to 49%. - Our results illustrate changes in the history of species description in the last centuries, confirm the progression from large range to smaller range species as the taxonomic treatment of the groups progressed, and illustrates Brazil, Mexico and the Andean region as hotspots for future species description.

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg) is a culturally and nutritionally significant perennial crop of the Pacific Islands. National Tropical Botanical Gardens Kahanu Garden (Maui, Hawai i) maintains a breadfruit collection representing more than 150 traditional varieties, some unique or irreplaceable and requiring safety duplication to safeguard genetic diversity. However, aging trees exhibit variable vigor, potentially limiting clonal propagation outcomes. We assessed air layering as a strategy for conservation duplication, conducting 163 air-layer attempts across 26 priority accessions. We evaluated the influence of tree vigor, age, and branch characteristics on rooting success and survival to out-planting. Overall, 17% successfully rooted and 75% of those survived to out-planting, resulting in successful duplication of 16 of 26 at-risk accessions. Rooting success differed among vigor classes (33% for high-vigor trees; 11-16% for normal and feeble trees) and increased modestly with source tree age, while survival to out-planting declined with increasing age. Branch length and fruiting season were not associated with outcomes. These findings indicate that air layering can support conservation propagation in living collections, but success is strongly influenced by source tree age and condition. Initiating safety duplication while trees are physiologically robust is likely to improve long-term conservation outcomes.

Understanding crop genetic diversity is essential for conservation and breeding, yet farmer-maintained germplasm remains largely underrepresented in genomic studies. Theobroma cacao L. has a complex domestication history and extensive global diversity, and cacao currently cultivated in Central America, particularly in Costa Rica, has been understudied compared to South American and Mexican cultivars despite cultural and historical importance. In this study, we investigate the genetic diversity of cacao from farmer-managed systems across Costa Rica to search for Criollo germplasm and identify and characterize any unique local genetic groups. Ninety-four trees were sampled from 17 farms across four regions of the country and sequenced using whole genome resequencing. Farmer materials were analyzed alongside 166 previously characterized reference accessions representing major cacao genetic groups. Population structure analyses, phylogenetic reconstruction, and network approaches revealed that Costa Rican cacao encompasses multiple known genetic groups, including Criollo-derived lineages, while also harboring locally distinct diversity not fully represented in current global reference collections. Analyses revealed close kinship between many accessions with no clear geographic patterns corresponding to the observed population differentiation, reflecting the effects of farmers in creating dominant patterns of gene flow through seed-saving, clonal propagation, and sharing genotypes among farms. Heterozygosity levels varied substantially among individuals, consistent with a mixture of highly inbred Criollo trees and more heterozygous, admixed genotypes. We find that farmer-managed cacao systems are reservoirs of genetic diversity, including possibly rare or historically important lineages, underscoring the value of these farming systems for effective conservation and management of genomic resources for cacao resilience and improvement.

PremiseHerbarium specimens are increasingly used to extract morphological traits for ecological and evolutionary studies, yet the effects of tissue desiccation on trait measurements remain poorly understood. Here, we tested whether higher tissue water content leads to greater measurement changes after herborization (H1) and whether fresh trait values can be reliably predicted from herbarium measurements (H2). MethodsWe evaluated the reliability of herbarium-based measurements by comparing fresh and dried traits of leaves, flowers, fleshy fruits, and seeds across 262 individuals representing 133 Neotropical Myrtaceae species. Phylogenetic least square models and machine-learning regressions were used to test H1 and H2. ResultsLeaves and flowers generally shrank after herborization, fruits size metrics tended to increase, and seeds were largely unaffected. Water content was significantly associated with the magnitude of herborization effects in flowers and some leaf and seed traits. Fresh trait values were accurately predicted from herbarium measurements. Prediction errors were lowest for leaf traits, followed by fruits, flowers, and seeds. DiscussionThese results partially support H1 and support H2, indicating that herbarium specimens can be reliably used for trait analyses when organ-specific responses are considered, providing a practical framework to account for potential desiccation bias in functional trait research.

AimThe assembly of montane plant communities through time is underlain by historical and abiotic factors. However, the extent of evolutionary connectivity between ancient highland ecosystems and surrounding lowlands remains unclear. Here, we investigate the evolutionary connections between the campos rupestres, a hyperdiverse and fragmented montane vegetation complex in eastern South America, and lowland biomes surrounding it: savannas, rainforests, and seasonally dry tropical forests. LocationEastern South America. Time periodCenozoic. Major taxa studiedFlowering plants. MethodsUsing phylogenetic beta diversity analyses for 13 angiosperm clades, we assess the degree of lineage dissimilarity between campos rupestres subregions and adjacent biomes. We also apply generalized dissimilarity modeling to determine the role of climate, soil, and geographic distance in shaping spatial patterns of phylogenetic composition. ResultsOur results reveal high lineage permeability between campos rupestres and surrounding biomes, with lineage sharing largely reflecting biome adjacency. This pattern is mainly driven by shared climatic conditions, which are the strongest predictors of phylogenetic dissimilarity. Main conclusionsWe highlight the importance of lineage exchange between lowland and montane environments for the assembly of highland floras. By showing that lineage movements across biome boundaries have been common over time and spatial scales, our study challenges the idea that ancient Neotropical mountains are isolated sky-islands. Instead, we emphasize the dynamic nature of montane plant diversity and the pivotal role of climate in shaping evolutionary connections between highlands and lowlands.

O_LIClimate change is reshaping agriculture through both gradual shifts and increasingly unpredictable extremes. Plants cope using developmental plasticity and bet-hedging, but it is unclear how these biological strategies align with the ways farmers perceive and respond to climate risks. This study investigates: (1) whether farmers understand climate change as incremental trends or recurrent shocks, (2) how their adaptations parallel plant plasticity and bet-hedging, and (3) under which climate scenarios these adaptations best support yield stability. C_LIO_LIWe combined qualitative research and modelling by conducting fifty semi-structured interviews with farmers, agricultural associations and public administrators across three climatically distinct Italian regions, and by developing an agent-based stochastic simulation that represents farmer-like plasticity (delayed sowing) and bet-hedging (staggered sowing) under drought and flood scenarios. C_LIO_LIFarmers described climate change as both gradual transformation and intensifying volatility. Their adaptive responses - adjusting calendars, switching crops and diversifying production - closely aligned with plant strategies, though articulated in practical rather than scientific terms. Simulation results showed that plasticity enhanced yields under systematic shifts in conditions, whereas bet-hedging reduced losses in highly variable climates characterised by frequent transitions between extremes. C_LIO_LITogether, the qualitative and modelling findings demonstrate that plant and farmer adaptation logics converge in complementary ways. Plasticity supports performance under gradual change, while bet-hedging buffers unpredictability. These insights highlight the potential for co-designed tools that link plant traits, farmer decision-making and ecological risk, strengthening climate-resilient agricultural planning and improving communication between farmers, breeders and plant scientists. C_LI Societal Impact StatementClimate change is transforming agriculture through both gradual shifts and increasingly unpredictable extremes, challenging farmers ability to protect crops and livelihoods. This study brings together farmer experiences and plant adaptation strategies to explore how people and plants respond to similar climate pressures. By showing that farmers practices mirror plant plasticity and bet-hedging, our findings highlight opportunities to design climate-resilient agriculture that aligns biological traits with real-world decision-making. This work can inform plant breeders, extension services and policymakers seeking to support farmers through clearer communication, better risk-management tools and more adaptable crop varieties, ultimately strengthening resilience in food systems.

If youve ever complained about a species name thats a mouthful--say, the soldier fly Parastratiosphecomyia stratiosphecomyioides or the myxobacterium Myxococcus llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogochensis--youre in very good company. But could the readability of binomial scientific names cause more than complaints? Could it influence how much species are studied and talked about? We examined a random sample of 3,019 species names spanning 29 phyla/divisions. We tested whether name length and reading difficulty are associated with species representation in the scientific literature (measured via literature mentions) and their visibility to the public (measured via Wikipedia pageviews). Both species name traits showed significant negative relationships with literature mentions and Wikipedia reads. Increasing name length from 10 to 30 characters is associated with a 66% decrease in expected mentions and a 65% decrease in Wikipedia reads, while shifting from the most to the least readable name in the dataset corresponds to 53% and 76% decreases. These patterns are consistent with something familiar: the fickleness of human attention, responding to features of the world that are far from rational. While creativity in naming is a cherished part of taxonomy, a touch of orthographic restraint may ultimately benefit both science and the species themselves--especially among understudied uncharismatic taxa.

Species are the fundamental analytical units of evolutionary processes; thus evidence-based species delimitation is a crucial step for understanding species radiations. However, the task of delimiting species is particularly challenging in the context of a syngameon--a group of distinct, but closely related species that have incomplete reproductive isolation and frequently hybridize in nature. This problem is further exacerbated by the presence of cryptic species--species that are phenotypically distinct, though difficult to distinguish with gross morphology alone. Heuchera subsect. Heuchera comprises both clear and cryptic species within a syngameon that has seen study from morphological, experimental, and phylogenetic aspects. This group has long been recognized for its taxonomic complexity, namely two recognized hybrid zones with extreme morphological variation and persistent non-monophyly among parental populations. Here, we reassess species limits within Heuchera subsect. Heuchera, focusing on the hybrid complex between H. americana and H. richardsonii and adjacent H. americana populations. We use a multipronged approach with deep population-level sampling to 1) assess the genetic structure of 655 individuals across the geographic range of the H. americana group to identify genetic lineages and 2) assess the phenotypic diagnosability of these lineages. Despite extensive admixture and gene tree conflict, we find multiple cohesive lineages with diagnosable phenotypes. We recognize five species and three varieties within the H. americana group, one new and four resurrected. Our results demonstrate that even highly reticulate syngameons can be partitioned into meaningful taxonomic units with multiple lines of evidence.

O_LIRationale: Plants in urban environments often experience heat stress and responses to heat stress often include vegetative and reproductive traits like rosette width and fruit morphology. However, our understanding of natural variation in vegetative and reproductive traits in urban environments is severely limited. C_LIO_LIMethods: We grew an urban weed, Capsella bursa-pastoris, in common garden environments that simulate an urban heat gradient to determine how heat affected growth, survival and reproduction. Additionally, we used geometric morphometric techniques alongside deterministic techniques to quantify variation in C. bursa-pastoris fruit shape and investigated the predictive relationship between fruit shape and seed production. C_LIO_LIKey results: We found that temperatures above 30C act as an environmental constraint on both C. bursa-pastoris fruit shape and reproduction, resulting in malformed fruits and no seed production. However, leaf number and plant survival were unaffected by high urban heat. C_LIO_LIMain conclusions: While plants may grow and survive in the high urban heat, heat could still limit population persistence. C_LI

Abstract summaryThis report presents a preliminary bryoflora for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM) in southern Utah. The inventory included over 1000 collections made across 40 localities (i.e. macrohabitat types) spanning two ecologically important gradients in bryophyte habitat: shade and moisture availability. At present, the growing checklist contains 117 taxa of liverworts and mosses including 27 families, 65 genera, 116 species, 9 varieties, and 1 subspecies. Noteworthy records include 49 putative taxa new for the state of Utah, and 2 undescribed species in the genera Grimmia and Schistidium. We propose 4 of these species be considered for addition to the recently revised bryoflora of North America. As expected for arid and semiarid environments, the bryophytes of GSENM are predominantly acrocarpous mosses (75%) followed by pleurocarpous mosses (16%), thalloid liverworts (7%), and leafy liverworts (2%). The most diverse families included xeric-soil acrocarpous mosses in the Pottiaceae (35%) and xeric-rock acrocarpous mosses in the Grimmiaceae (15%). Both xeric and mesic species were recovered in the Bryaceae (10% of species) while the pleurocarpous Amblystegiaceae included mesic and hydric species (7%). Most species in the bryoflora have broad global or disjunct distributions, but notably, the known distribution of 17 species appears limited in the United States, or globally, and warrant monitoring in GSENM. Using floristic habitat sampling across 19 macrohabitat types (combinations of 6 topography and 7 vegetation classes), mean site richness was 17.2 {+/-} 9 (SD) and ranged from 4 to 34 species. Six diversity hotspots supported [≥]30 species and were canyons with perennial or ephemeral streams dominated by mixed conifer, hardwood-riparian, riparian, or pinyon-juniper vegetation. High richness is likely supported by greater habitat diversity including xeric, mesic, and hydric conditions on variable substrates (e.g. rock, soil, biocrust, downed wood, seeps, and riparian aquatic/semi-aquatic habitat). Consequently, managing and monitoring diversity under future climate change and land-use alterations will necessitate a habitat-stratified approach that utilizes repeated floristic habitat sampling to document changes in site-level richness and to predict other candidate diversity hotspots on the basis of microhabitat-level diversity, which could be assessed by trained non-bryologists. Collection data are available to the public as georeferenced and photographed observations of half of the bryophyte collections on our iNaturalist.com project, Bryophytes of Grand Staircase Escalante, available for scientific, educational, or outreach activities. Observations are accessible to visitors (via the smartphone app) who wish to know what species have been found along popular trails in GSENM. Landscape-level richness may not reach that of the neighboring Grand Canyon National Park (>155 species), which supports a unique high-elevation bryophyte community sheltered in the mixed conifer and spruce-fir forests of the North Rims Kaibab Plateau. Future collecting by experts will inevitably uncover more species in this ecologically diverse monument important to conserving dryland bryophyte diversity and ecosystem function. This study will serve as a baseline for future research and long-term monitoring related to climate change impacts on dryland bryophytes including biocrust species. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=158 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/708354v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (106K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@c50925org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1db65c3org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@f60909org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@cb5244_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG Cover photos (by T. A. Clark): View of sandstone canyon wall along the Escalante River Trail taken during a July collection trip in 2015 (top) during which riparian bryophytes were collected by authro, T. A. Clark, (shown in photo) at a sandstone seep (bottom). Bureau of Land Managements National Landscape Conservation System Grant Cooperative Agreement #L14AC00275 issued to P.I. Lloyd R. Stark, UNLV O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=151 SRC="FIGDIR/small/708354v1_ufig2.gif" ALT="Figure 2"> View larger version (88K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@86109eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ad0efborg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@b2c239org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ed4a4a_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG Copyright 2020 by the authorsAll content contained herein is the property of the authors and all images the property of Theresa A. Clark and should not be used without permission except for education, in which case inclusion of the author/photographers name in citation or superimposed over any image(s) is requested.

Prickles on blackberry and raspberry canes make pruning, harvesting, and handling more difficult and can increase labor costs for growers. The trait has been challenging to improve in these clonal crops because it is recessive and linked to undesirable agronomic traits. In blackberry and red raspberry, breeding programs have used recessive mutants at the S locus to generate prickleless cultivars for the last century. In this study, we identified independent loss-of-function mutations in a WUSCHEL-LIKE HOMEOBOX transcription factor, WOX1, as the genetic basis of the prickleless S locus in both blackberry and red raspberry. We mapped the S locus using integrated genome-wide association, bulked segregant analysis, and identity-by-descent analyses informed by breeding pedigrees. Additionally, we generated a genome sequence from Luther Burbanks prickleless blackberry variety Burbank Thornless that contained an additional allele of WOX1. To verify the genes role, we used gene editing to knock out WOX1 in an elite prickled commercial blackberry line. All edited plants were prickleless and lacked glandular trichomes, confirming that WOX1 controls a joint developmental pathway. Other plant traits were unchanged, indicating WOX1 is a specific and safe target for improvement. Gene editing can enable breeders to remove prickles directly from elite varieties, reducing the need for extensive breeding cycles and delivering safer, easier-to-harvest cultivars to growers.

Urban green areas often harbour numerous non-native urban trees, many of which have characteristics that predispose them to escape from cultivation and become potentially invasive. Climate change is expected to exacerbate this risk by creating favourable conditions for species that are currently climatically restricted. The potential risks for invasiveness of urban tree species in continental Europe are not yet known. Here, we provide a comprehensive risk screening of 34 non-native urban tree species in continental Europe, for both current and projected future climate scenarios. Using the Terrestrial Plant Species Invasiveness Screening Kit (TPS-ISK v2.4), we assessed invasion risk based on biogeography, ecology, and projected responses to climate change. Results showed that under current conditions, 10 species (29.4%) were categorised as high risk, 23 (67.6%) as medium risk and one (2.9%) as low risk. The inclusion of climate change projections increased the number of high risk species to 11, with seven species categorised as very high risk. These taxa exhibit strong ecological plasticity, high reproductive performance and broad environmental tolerance, which together with projected warming, emphasises their significant potential for further spread. Our results emphasise the urgent need for early detection, continuous monitoring and proactive management of non-native urban trees in Europe, especially those that are widely used in horticulture and forestry. By integrating invasion biology with climate change risk screening, this study provides an important basis for evidence-based policy and management strategies to mitigate future ecological and economic impacts of invasions by urban trees.

Juncus bufonius L. s.l. is a species complex with several ploidy levels, for which species delimitation remains unclear due to a lack of reliable morphological characters and the paucity of molecular studies. To clarify taxonomic and geographic relationships in the complex, we combined genomic, cytometric and morphological data from a broad latitudinal range from England down to Spain. We collected morphometric and cytometric data from 31 populations, and genomic data were obtained through Hyb-Seq using the Angiosperm353 kit for a subset of individuals. These three datasets were combined to explore phylogenetic relationships, population structure, and the validity of four previously proposed morphospecies (J. bufonius s.str., a hexaploid; J. minutulus, a tetraploid; and J. ranarius and J. hybridus, both diploids). Sequencing supported the separation of diploids and polyploids as two distinct taxa, but morphometric characters used previously to describe morphospecies showed continuous variation with no diagnostic value, and were not congruent with genomic and cytometric data. Polyploids likely originated through allopolyploidisation from diploids and tetraploids. Phylogenetic lineages were extensively mixed geographically, both for diploid and polyploid taxa, which suggests repeated long-distance dispersal events for both diploids and polyploids, and no separation of taxa by geography. Splitting of diploids into J. ranarius and J. hybridus was not supported. We recommend J. ranarius be treated as a synonym of J. hybridus, and that tetraploids and hexaploids be grouped under J. bufonius. The observed geographical patterns are consistent with high rates of seed dispersal by migratory waterbirds.

We present here FennoTraits, which is a dataset of plant functional trait and community composition data which we collected from Fennoscandia across northern Finland, Norway, and Sweden in 2016-2025. This dataset has 42 049 abundance estimations and 155 794 functional trait observations from 10 traits representing 373 vascular plant species collected from 1 235 study sites within seven study areas. The trait measurements consist of size-structural, leaf economic, leaf spectral, and reproductive traits. The species represent the majority of the native vascular plant species that occur at the seven study areas, and many of the species occur in all seven areas across the two biomes and their ecotone: tundra and boreal forests. Each study area has distinct characteristics and a range of habitats: tundra, meadows, wetlands, shrublands, and boreal forests. These areas are under low anthropogenic influence, and many of the sites are within protected areas that are reserved for nature conservation and scientific research. Finally, we provide with this dataset a general description of the main trait patterns and profiles of the northern European flora.

O_LIQuantifying relationships between traits and climate using plants collected from diverse climatic origins, grown under common conditions, potentially provides valuable insights into climate adaptation. C_LIO_LIWe report on fifteen accessions of kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra), a C4 species distributed across Australia, Asia, the Middle East and Africa from the Andropogoneae clade of grasses that is vital to global agriculture. Plants were grown to maturity in glasshouses under two thermal regimes, with ample water supplied. Numerous physiological, "economic" and developmental traits were characterised. C_LIO_LIAs expected, plants grown at 20{degrees}C maxima had lower photosynthetic rates (Asat) and dark respiration rates, reduced leaf expansion, and delayed flowering compared with plants grown at 30{degrees}C. However, surprisingly few traits varied with climate-of-origin: accessions from colder climates had higher Asat alongside lower leaf mass per area, but only when grown at 20{degrees}C; flowering time showed the strongest correlation with site climate, with plants from wetter, warmer or less variable climates taking longer to flower. C_LIO_LIOur findings highlight remarkable phenotypic flexibility in key traits of T. triandra; this flexibility is likely key to its wide distribution. The strong relationship between flowering time and climate-of-origin underscores the importance of reproductive phenology as an adaptive trait. C_LI

Plant phenological responses to global change phenomena like urbanization remain understudied in the tropics, hindering predictions regarding the dynamics of tropical ecosystems amid rapid land use changes. Studies of tropical phenology are limited by complexities, like the limited availability of phenological data, especially in urbanized landscapes. Observations recorded on citizen science platforms can overcome this limitation by providing vast, spatially distributed data. In this study, we utilize iNaturalist data to evaluate plant reproductive phenology in tropical urban vs. rural habitats. We first compare iNaturalist data (111533 records) to herbarium collections (217991 records) in order to validate their use, and we then investigate urban-rural phenology differences within 25-km spatial grids for 238 species. Data from iNaturalist and herbaria yield complementary insights, with the former being uniformly distributed between urban and rural settings, and the latter biased towards rural observations. On average, we found species to have significantly longer reproductive duration ({beta} = 11.79 {+/-} 2.83 SE, t = 4.16, p < 10^4), and correspondingly weaker strength of seasonality in urban settings than in nearby rural localities. We also find trait-mediated variation, with seasonal, annual, and herbaceous plants showing more pronounced differences in reproductive duration and seasonality strength. These results suggest that urbanization in tropical landscapes might have important implications for plant demography, with potential consequences for community and ecosystem dynamics. Our work also points to the value of integrating insights from natural history collections with data from citizen science platforms for enabling broad-scale insights into ecological dynamics in tropical urban landscapes.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a genetically diverse Andean crop valued for its nutrition and adaptability to varied agroclimatic conditions with potential for cultivation in European and Mediterranean, particularly on marginal lands. Low temperatures during early sowing can impair germination, while delayed sowing increases the risk of poor maturation due to unfavorable autumn weather. To assess the adaptation of quinoa to cold stress, we evaluated germination and phenotypic variation in 60 accessions from highland and coastal ecotypes across three sowing dates in South-Western Germany: late winter (S1), early spring (S2), and spring (S3). Cold stress in S1 delayed seedling-emergence and reduced emergence percentages, yet these plants produced the highest average seed yield per plot (64 g) compared to S2 (46 g) and S3 (35 g). Highland accessions showed earlier seedling-emergence and with higher emergence percentages, while coastal types matured earlier and gave higher yields across sowing dates. A complementary laboratory experiment assessed germination under cold (4.4 {degrees}C) and control (18.3 {degrees}C) conditions, using both manual scoring and image analysis via a Mask R Convolutional Neural Network, to track seedling growth. This confirmed the beneficial germination performance of highland accessions under cold stress, with strong agreement between manual and automated scoring. Our findings suggest that quinoa demonstrates resilience to cold stress with highland quinoa exhibiting superior germination traits, and early sowing, despite reduced emergence, can lead to higher yields. We conclude that combining favorable traits such as faster maturity and higher yield of coastal ecotypes with superior germination traits of highland accessions is a promising avenue for breeding improved quinoa varieties for cold climatic regions.

AimTo examine how variation in frugivore species richness influences dietary specialisation and the organisation of plant-frugivore interaction networks in tropical forests. LocationSix undisturbed lowland wet tropical forest sites across four biodiversity hotspots in south and south-east Asia. Time period2016-2024. Major taxa studiedAvian frugivores and fleshy-fruited woody plants. MethodsWe recorded plant-avian frugivore interactions across six undisturbed evergreen forest sites spanning a seven-fold gradient in frugivore species richness, while holding forest type and phylogenetic composition broadly comparable. Using over 4,200 hours of focal observations on 551 fruiting plants, we recorded more than 34,000 feeding visits by 138 frugivore species on 133 plant species. We used a) Joint species distribution models to determine the relative influence of fruit and seed traits, and b) network analyses to evaluate how dietary breadth and network properties varied with frugivore species richness. ResultsAcross sites, frugivore visitation was primarily explained by fruit and seed morphology, with seed size accounting for an average of 39.7% of explained variation, followed by fruit width (24.4%), fruit crop size (21.9%), and pulp lipid content (14.1%). Frugivores in species-rich communities exhibited narrower dietary breadth (Pearsons r = -0.87 between normalised degree and species richness). Correspondingly, plant-frugivore networks became less connected and nested, and more modular, with increasing frugivore richness (Pearsons r = -0.9, -0.98, and 0.84, respectively). Main conclusionsIncreasing frugivore species richness intensifies dietary specialisation, which in turn drives changes in plant-frugivore network structure. These findings highlight how local species richness shapes interaction networks through changes in consumer niche breadth, with implications for the organisation of tropical forest mutualistic communities.

Climate change increasingly threatens global Capsicum (pepper) production. Accelerating the deployment of climate-resilient cultivars requires effective use of genetic diversity conserved in genebanks. We implement a "turbocharging" strategy in Capsicum by integrating genome-wide association studies and genomic prediction in a core collection (n = 423), followed by genomic prediction across the global collection (n = 10,250) using the core as a training population. We generated genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) for 31 high-accuracy traits (r > 0.5) encompassing hyperspectral phenotypes (heat/control), agronomic performance (heat/control) and fruit quality. To enhance accessibility and decision-making, we developed a large language model (LLM) integrated application that enables flexible, preference-based selection of candidates. By narrowing the parental decision space, this framework streamlines screening of large germplasm collections while balancing climate resilience, quality attributes and market demands. Our approach provides a scalable decision-support system to accelerate climate-resilient Capsicum breeding and maximize global genetic resources.

AimHuman land-use has dramatically altered the amount, quality, and connectivity of habitat for species worldwide. Understanding how these changes affect individual species is essential for predicting the overall consequences of land-use change for biodiversity. LocationThe Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Forest cover on the island increased from about 18 to 45% from the late 1940s to the early 2000s. MethodsUsing data on geographic distributions and functional traits for 454 tree species, we evaluated how gain of potential habitat was related to species-specific climatic associations and life-history strategies. We estimated species-specific potential habitat (climatically suitable and forested) with species distribution models and data on forest cover. We characterized each species niche breadth (the range of environmental conditions it occupies) and niche position (the environmental conditions it prefers) to compare with the conditions in reforested areas. ResultsSpecies with relatively more potential habitat in 1951 (climatically suitable and forested) also had relatively larger gains in potential habitat from 1951 to 2000. Species that tend to occupy conditions different from those common in reforested areas (i.e., more marginal habitats) gained relatively less potential habitat and species with broad environmental niches gained more potential habitat. Additionally, species with relatively acquisitive functional traits gained more suitable habitat than those with relatively conservative traits. Main conclusionsOur results show that Puerto Ricos reforestation preferentially increased habitat for species that (1) already had suitable habitat in the landscape, (2) tolerate a wide range of climatic conditions, and (3) exhibit fast, acquisitive functional strategies. These findings illustrate how land-use change in heterogeneous tropical landscapes can generate non-uniform habitat gains across species, potentially favoring generalist over specialist species and reshaping community composition.