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        <title>Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution | Ecophysiology section | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/sections/ecophysiology</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Ecophysiology section in the Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution journal | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
        <generator>Frontiers Feed Generator,version:1</generator>
        <pubDate>2026-05-13T21:01:37.567+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1799140</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1799140</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Disruption of liver circadian rhythms by chronic constant darkness in rats: sexual dimorphism and melatonin correction]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-13T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>David A. Areshidze</author><author>Maria A. Kozlova</author><author>Anna I. Anurkina</author><author>Valery P. Chernikov</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionModern lifestyle characterized by artificial light exposure leads to widespread circadian disruption, which is a risk factor for metabolic and liver diseases. The liver possesses a robust circadian clock regulating its metabolism. Melatonin, the key hormonal synchronizer, is suppressed by light. Sexual dimorphism in circadian responses remains understudied. This work aimed to investigate the sex-specific effects of chronic constant light exposure (CLE) on liver circadian rhythms and the corrective potential of melatonin.MethodsThe study involved 240 adult (6-month-old) male and female outbred Wistar rats. Animals were divided into groups (n=40 per sex per group): 1) Control (standard 10:14 light-dark cycle), 2) Constant Light Exposure (CLE) – constant light for 3 weeks, 3) CLE + Melatonin (12 mg/L in drinking water, administered at the beginning of the subjective night). Rats were sacrificed at 4 time points (09:00, 15:00, 21:00, 03:00). Hepatocyte morphometry (nuclear and cellular area), expression of clock proteins (PER2, CLOCK, BMAL1), proliferation (Ki-67) and apoptosis (p53) markers, plasma biochemistry (glucose, AST, ALT, proteins, bilirubin) and melatonin levels were analyzed. Circadian rhythm parameters (mesor, amplitude, acrophase) were determined by cosinor analysis.ResultsControl animals exhibited pronounced circadian rhythms in all studied parameters. Chronic CLE caused systemic desynchronization: suppression of melatonin secretion rhythm, inversion and suppression of core clock gene expression (PER2, BMAL1, CLOCK), shifts and damping of hepatocyte morphometric rhythms (nuclear area, NCR), and disorganization of biochemical rhythms (glucose, AST, ALT, proteins). Marked sexual dimorphism was observed: under CLE, females maintained significant rhythms for hepatocyte nuclear area and Ki-67 expression with increased amplitude, while in males these rhythms were abolished or severely dampened. Melatonin administration effectively corrected CLE-induced disturbances, restoring circadian rhythmicity and baseline levels of most parameters in both sexes, and preventing the inversion of PER2 rhythm.DiscussionChronic constant light exposure leads to profound disintegration of the hepatic circadian system. The identified sexual dimorphism indicates greater resilience of circadian organization in the female liver, possibly mediated by sex hormones. Exogenous melatonin demonstrated potent chronobiotic and hepatoprotective effects, normalizing the molecular clock, cellular morphology, and metabolic rhythms. The results justify further research on melatonin as a means for preventing circadian disruption-related liver pathologies, taking into account sex differences.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1819553</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1819553</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Stem photosynthesis and hydraulics are not coordinated in photosynthetic stems in a tropical xerophytic scrub]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Eleinis Ávila-Lovera</author><author>Louis S. Santiago</author><author>Wilmer Tezara</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Stem photosynthesis is common in multiple seasonally dry biomes, however, most of current knowledge comes from studies done in desert and Mediterranean-type ecosystems. In the tropics, plants with photosynthetic stems also occur in tropical dry forests and xerophytic scrubs, which are among the most threatened terrestrial ecosystems. Research in warm deserts has shown that stem photosynthesis and water transport (hydraulics) are interconnected, with species having greater stem hydraulic conductance also maintaining greater stem stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rate. We tested whether this hypothesis holds true in drought-deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs from a tropical xerophytic scrub in the Macanao Peninsula, Margarita Island, Venezuela, an area impacted by open-cast sand mining. Exploring the potential coordination between photosynthetic and hydraulic traits within and among organs will give us insights into the functional strategies plants use to cope with seasonal drought and disturbance in this site. To this aim, we measured photosynthetic rate (Aarea), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gs), and carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) in leaves and photosynthetic stems, and stem hydraulic traits in 12 tree and shrub species. We found no relationship between sapwood-specific hydraulic conductivity (KS) and stem Aarea. However, species with high KS also had high leaf δ13C, indicating that efficient stem water transport is associated with leaves having greater long-term integrated water-use efficiency. Interestingly, species with higher stem Aarea also exhibited higher stem water-use efficiency, both intrinsic and instantaneous. Results suggest a coordination of hydraulics and photosynthetic traits between leaves and stems but not within photosynthetic stems. Our results also suggest higher variability in economic traits in photosynthetic stems than in leaves, indicating potential differences in the selection of photosynthetic traits in leaves and stems.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1789799</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1789799</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Individual-level differences in cumulative water stress drive threshold flowering responses in an endangered desert shrub]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Andrea P. Loayza</author><author>Danny E. Carvajal</author><author>Patricio García-Guzmán</author><author>Rodrigo S. Rios</author><author>Francisco A. Squeo</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In arid ecosystems, plant reproduction is strongly constrained by water availability, yet individuals within the same population can differ in reproductive output despite experiencing similar climatic conditions. Understanding how spatial variation in water availability translates into differences in growth and reproduction is essential for predicting population persistence under increasing aridity. We tested the hypothesis that spatial heterogeneity in soil water availability generates individual differences in cumulative water stress that influence physiological performance, growth, and flowering in Myrcianthes coquimbensis, an endangered shrub of the Atacama Desert. Over a 15-month period, we monitored soil water potential, predawn leaf water potential, photosynthesis, vegetative growth, and reproduction in a natural population, where individuals were classified based on recent reproductive history as annual-flowering or sporadic-flowering. Cumulative water stress during the growing season was quantified using the Water Stress Integral (WSI), which integrates the magnitude and duration of plant water deficit. Soil water availability was spatially heterogeneous, and this heterogeneity was reflected in consistent differences in plant water status among individuals. Although photosynthesis declined with decreasing plant water status in both reproductive groups, annual-flowering individuals maintained higher mean photosynthetic rates and experienced significantly lower WSI than sporadic-flowering plants. Higher WSI was associated with reduced relative growth rates and marginally lower annual growth. Flowering probability increased sharply as WSI became less negative and exceeded 50% at approximately −90 MPa, indicating a threshold-like relationship between cumulative stress and reproduction. These results show that spatial heterogeneity in soil water availability within a single population can generate individual differences in WSI that translate into nonlinear variation in growth and flowering. By integrating short-term physiological responses over time, WSI provides a mechanistic link between environmental variability and reproductive outcomes in dryland plants.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1772986</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1772986</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Plant adaptation intelligence: lessons from extreme environments for resilient crop systems]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Zelalem M. Taye</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Modern crop breeding has prioritized yield under stable, high-input conditions, leaving many cultivated plants vulnerable to climate-driven extremes such as heat, drought, salinity, and nutrient imbalances. Despite growing recognition that resilience emerges from complex plant–soil–microbiome interactions, breeding and evaluation frameworks remain largely trait-centric and reductionist. This perspective introduces plant adaptation intelligence as a conceptual framework describing the distributed and emergent capacity of plants and their associated microbiomes to sense environmental cues, integrate signals across biological scales, and deploy adaptive responses that enhance resilience under stress. Evidence from wild plant species inhabiting extreme environments highlights roots as central hubs for environmental sensing, exudation-mediated microbiome recruitment, and adaptive mechanisms such as biological nitrification inhibition, disease-suppressive soils, and microbiome-enabled thermotolerance and drought resilience. These processes illustrate how adaptation arises from network-level interactions, including anticipatory priming and legacy effects, capacities that are frequently diminished through domestication and intensive management. A shift in breeding paradigms is proposed, moving beyond isolated traits toward prioritizing phenotypic plasticity, microbiome-aware selection, and system-level performance under realistic stress conditions. Complementary management practices, including reduced tillage and cover cropping, are identified as essential for sustaining adaptive plant–microbiome networks. Key challenges, such as research priorities and incentive structures, quantifying complex interactions, integrating interdisciplinary approaches, and conserving wild relatives, are highlighted. Embracing plant adaptation intelligence offers a pathway to climate-resilient agroecosystems that align crop productivity with ecological integrity and long-term sustainability.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1770115</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1770115</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Gut microbiota dynamics associated with the tolerance of chironomid larvae to Microcystis aeruginosa stress]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Lei Cao</author><author>Shuqin Yang</author><author>Wenping Wang</author><author>Kun Zhang</author><author>Lei Ji</author><author>Daogui Deng</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionMicrocystis aeruginosa, a dominant cyanobacterial species in freshwater blooms, produces toxins that pose serious threats to aquatic organisms and human health. However, the role of gut microbiota in mediating chironomid larval tolerance to cyanobacterial stress remains unclear.MethodsThis study investigated the physiological and gut microbial changes in Propsilocerus akamusi larvae exposed to M. aeruginosa at environmentally relevant densities commonly observed during cyanobacterial blooms (1.0 × 106 /107 /108 /109 cells L-1).ResultsThe results showed that exposure to M. aeruginosa at 1.0 × 109 cells L-1 significantly suppressed chironomid larvae activity and led to high mortality, while the chironomid larvae exhibited certain tolerance at lower densities, with notably enhanced tolerance at 1.0 × 108 cells L-1, suggesting that this density may effectively trigger the tolerance mechanism of chironomid larvae to M. aeruginosa. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA revealed a significant increase in the diversity of gut microbiota in chironomid larvae under lower densities of M. aeruginosa stress, especially 1.0 × 108 cells L-1. Combined with interaction network analysis, it was demonstrated that key bacterial genera (e.g., Cutibacterium, Epulopiscium, Methylobacterium and Sphaerotilus) associated with processes like toxin degradation, maintenance of intestinal homeostasis, and regulation of stress responses were significantly associated with tolerance of chironomid larvae to cyanobacterial stress, and there may be a synergistic effect among these key bacterial genera. Conversely, gasproducing, toxigenic, and pathogenic bacterial taxa (e.g., Carnobacterium, Clostridium and Aeromonas) increases were significantly correlated with the mortality of chironomid larvae under cyanobacterial stress. Furthermore, interactions between eukaryotic microorganisms (e.g., Opisthokonta and Alveolata) and Paucibacter may also participated in the regulation for chironomid larvae tolerance to M. aeruginosa.DiscussionThese findings provide new insights into the gut microbiome-mediated adaptive responses of benthic invertebrates to cyanobacterial blooms, and highlight the potential of keystone microbial taxa as ecological indicators or targets for microbiome-based management strategies in bloom-affected aquatic systems. This study also provide a data support for further mechanistic investigations into microbemediated host tolerance and the development of microbial-assisted ecological restoration approaches.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1755631</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2026.1755631</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Why mixotrophy flourished in water but rarely on land]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Albert Calbet</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Mixotrophy, the ability to combine photosynthesis with heterotrophic acquisition of carbon or nutrients, is now recognized as a central feature of aquatic microbial food webs and a recurrent strategy in several protist and simple animal lineages. By contrast, terrestrial ecosystems host only a narrow set of mixotrophic plants, and no animal is known to rely substantially on endogenous photosynthesis or plastids over its life cycle. Here I argue that this asymmetry is not paradoxical once mixotrophy is viewed through three coupled filters: ecological state spaces, evolutionary accessibility and physiological feasibility. I outline how these filters differ between water and land, how they jointly compress the adaptive zone for mixotrophy after terrestrialization, and how they generate explicit, testable predictions for future empirical and theoretical work on dual nutritional strategies.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1699291</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1699291</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Cryptic carnivores: why feline hair makes cats (Felis catus) look vegan]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-03T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Viktoria Zechner</author><author>Maryna Tiutiunnyk</author><author>Hannah Riedmüller</author><author>Wolfgang Wanek</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Stable isotope analysis is widely used to study food webs and animal trophic levels. However, δ15N values from domestic cat hair suggest an unexpectedly low trophic level or reduced isotope enrichment for these obligate carnivores. We explored two explanations: (i) an isotopic shift of cat diet toward lower δ15N values than human food, or (ii) a lower trophic discrimination factor (TDF) in cats than humans, resulting in smaller 15N enrichment of cat hair. Reduced TDFs may arise from protein limitation during fur growth or from a close match between dietary and body protein amino acid composition. To test these hypotheses, we analyzed the N isotope composition of cat and human food, human hair, and cat hair and whiskers. Cat hair δ15N values (6.63 ± 0.13 ‰) plotted close to human vegan hair 7.18 ± 0.06 ‰) but were significantly lower than human omnivore hair (8.83 ± 0.03 ‰). Hypothesis (i) was rejected, as cat diet δ15N values were higher than mixed human diet, whereas hypothesis (ii) was supported, with low cat TDFs averaging 1.61 ± 0.44 ‰ compared to human TDFs of 4.73 ± 0.09 ‰. Protein limitation from seasonal coat growth was rejected, since whiskers and fur were isotopically identical. Thus, high diet quality and close amino acid matching between diet and body protein likely caused reduced trophic 15N enrichment. These findings indicate protein quality can outweigh protein quantity in determining trophic N isotope fractionation in domestic cats.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1675121</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1675121</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Floating primary polyps of Nemopilema nomurai on detritus: effects of abiotic factors on their resettlement and subsequent growth]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Song Feng</author><author>Xueting Xu</author><author>Shiyu Mo</author><author>Yaran Xu</author><author>Jianing Lin</author><author>Xiaodong Wang</author><author>Xiaobo Jia</author><author>Song Sun</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Studies on the formation process and physio-ecological characteristics of primary polyps would help understand the causes of giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai blooms in the coastal sea of East Asia. A new mode of settlement and metamorphosis from planulae into primary polyps was observed in this study by artificially breeding N. nomurai polyps in a large tank. N. nomurai planulae could successfully metamorphose into primary polyps with ≤4 tentacles in the seawater, even though they did not initially colonize the hard substrates as previously reported. The developed primary polyps were then able to hang upside down on detritus via the mucus secreted by planulae and float on the seawater surface. Their resettlement on the large, hard substrates showed significant preference to plastic materials (e.g., polyethylene plates); however, the resettlement density was significantly reduced owing to the increase of age. The resettlement of primary polyps was also affected by the combination of salinity and age. The survival of primary polyps increased, but their resettlement percentage significantly decreased at hyposalinity of 10–23 and older age. This study also found that primary polyps on the detritus could normally develop into individuals with 16 tentacles. There was no significant difference in their survival, development of 14–16 tentacles, and calyx growth at salinities of 15–33, indicating their euryhalinity adaptability. This study suggested that floating in the seawater by attaching to detritus was a possible living mode of N. nomurai polyps inhabiting the estuaries’ surroundings, which may favor polyp population recruitment and maintenance.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1702917</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1702917</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the physiological traits and growth of three woody species from a tropical dry forest]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Karla Cáceres-Mago</author><author>Alicia Cáceres</author><author>Eleinis Ávila-Lovera</author><author>Wilmer Tezara</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The tropical dry forests (TDFs) of the Macanao Peninsula (Margarita Island, Venezuela) have been severely degraded by open-cast sand mining for over four decades, reducing vegetation cover and disrupting soil biological processes, including those mediated by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). To assess whether enriching native AMF communities can improve plant performance, we evaluated the physiological traits and growth of three woody species (Bulnesia arborea, Caesalpinia mollis and Piptadenia flava) grown for eight months under greenhouse conditions in noninoculated (NI) and inoculated (I) treatments, both using the same non-sterile forest soil to ensure that inoculation represented enrichment of the native AMF community, which reflects realistic restoration scenarios. Species differed markedly in their responses: in B. arborea, AMF enrichment increased net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance by 50% and 31%, respectively, and significantly enhanced the maximum rate of RuBisCO carboxylation and biomass accumulation; in C. mollis, inoculation increased CO2-saturated photosynthetic rate but did not affect growth; and in P. flava, inoculated plants showed greater shoot biomass and root length despite no detectable changes in photosynthetic parameters. These species-specific responses suggest that B. arborea may hold potential for future restoration testing in the Macanao Peninsula, and further ecological evaluation is needed before selecting species for restoration.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1723107</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1723107</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Resilience or decline? Insights from long-term sap flow and wood anatomy monitoring in fire-damaged Pinus pinaster Aiton forest]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-03T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Francesco Niccoli</author><author>Jerzy Piotr Kabala</author><author>Lorenza Fargnoli</author><author>Giovanna Battipaglia</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Wildfires represent a major disturbance in Mediterranean forests, often triggering long-term functional decline in surviving trees. Understanding the hydraulic and eco-physiological trend of fire-affected stands is essential to assess whether trees are on a recovery path or progressing toward irreversible decline. In this study, we combined four years of continuous sap flow monitoring with wood anatomical analyses and satellite observations in a Mediterranean pine forest severely affected by fire. Continuous measurements in burned and control trees revealed contrasting transpiration strategies and progressive divergent pattern of hydraulic performance under recurrent drought conditions. Burned trees initially increased transpiration as a compensatory response but gradually exhibited signs of functional impairment, including reduced hydraulic efficiency, altered xylem traits, and limited canopy recovery. Further, remote sensing highlighted persistent canopy degradation and the spread of invasive vegetation, exacerbating water competition and accelerating decline. Control trees, by contrast, maintained a conservative water-use strategy and showed a greater capacity to exploit favorable climatic periods. These findings highlight the vulnerability of fire-damaged forest stands to eco-physiological decline, with potential implications for delayed mortality. The integration of long-term sap flow, wood anatomy, and satellite monitoring emerges as a powerful approach for detecting early-warning signals of resilience loss and informing post-fire forest management in drought-prone ecosystems.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1671218</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1671218</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Testing differences in thermal tolerance between two amphibians with contrasting invasion abilities]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-09-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Evelyn R. VanDenBerg</author><author>Kyle E. Jaynes</author><author>Alisha A. Shah</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Physiological traits may influence the establishment success of non-native species, yet empirical links between physiology and invasiveness remain limited. The American bullfrog (L. catesbeianus) and the green frog (L. clamitans) are closely related species with overlapping native ranges in the eastern United States, but have contrasting invasion histories: bullfrogs have colonized much of the western U.S., while green frogs have not. One hypothesis that could explain this pattern is that invasive species possess greater tolerance to heat stress and enhanced capacity for thermal acclimation. To test this hypothesis, we compared critical thermal maximum (CTMAX) and acclimation capacity in tadpoles of both species from within their native range. We found that the species both exhibit equally high CTMAX. Further, neither species was able to acclimate to a warmer temperature. However, while bullfrogs showed no change in CTMAX after acclimation, green frogs experienced a slight reduction in CTMAX, suggesting that they may be more sensitive to warming than bullfrogs. These results suggest that intrinsic differences in thermal tolerance and plasticity alone do not explain bullfrog invasion success. Other factors—such as competitive dominance, rapid evolutionary shifts, or interacting abiotic and biotic pressures—may facilitate bullfrog persistence in novel, warmer habitats of the western U.S.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1659194</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1659194</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A laser-equipped chamber for the assessment of sprint swimming traits in fishes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-09-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Methods</category>
        <author>Kenneth W. Zillig</author><author>Jacqueline A. Fukumoto</author><author>Alexandra G. McInturf</author><author>Scott G. Burman</author><author>Anna E. Steel</author><author>Dennis E. Cocherell</author><author>Nann A. Fangue</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Sprint swimming performance in fishes is relatively understudied despite its critical role in predation attempts, prey evasion, spawning events, and overcoming hydraulic challenges. Sprint swimming is characterized by fast acceleration, over a short distance and of limited duration. The bulk of sprint performance research uses analysis of high-speed recordings of fish behavior. While behavioral video analysis has improved, it is still expensive in both processing time and computational resources, limiting the ability to develop reaction norms for sprint performance which necessitate large sample sizes. Here we present a laser-gated sprint performance chamber (SPC) that improves upon past designs by introducing an adjustable number of lasers (≤ 25) that facilitates greater resolution on sprint performance. Use of customized arrangements can facilitate measurement of novel performance metrics of interest to a range of key questions (e.g., fatigue rate, residual anaerobic capacity, and sprint stamina). Using this chamber we quantified the sprint velocity, residual anaerobic capacity, sprint stamina, and fatigue rate of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), a widely distributed and studied species. We directly compared the results measured by our device to high-speed camera data collected simultaneously and found the velocity estimates from the sprint chamber to be highly accurate (R2 = 0.97). We also compared the sprint performance of individual rainbow trout with their individual UCRIT, a commonly measured metric of aerobic swimming performance. We found little correlation between the two traits, indicating that fish capable of rapid sprint swimming are not necessarily fast sustained swimmers. Finally, we defined and quantified three novel traits of sprint swimming performance: relative anaerobic scope, sprint stamina (the number of sprint events that can be elicited prior to performance decline), and fatigue rate (the rate of decline associated with repeated sprinting). The SPC is an adjustable platform for quantifying understudied elements of fish swimming physiology, improving design of fish passage infrastructure, and facilitating discoveries in how sprint performance changes with environmental conditions.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1608776</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1608776</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The impact of local environmental differences on the phenotypic plasticity and genetic variation of Kazakhstani populations of Paeonia anomala]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-07-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ainur S. Turzhanova</author><author>Serik A. Kubentayev</author><author>Saule M. Magzumova</author><author>Aisulu K. Sarkytbayeva</author><author>Oxana N. Khapilina</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Medicinal plants are highly vulnerable to overexploitation and environmental pressures, leading to a risk of extinction. Local ecological heterogeneity influences phenotypic variability and adaptive responses to stress. Species survival under specific conditions depends on genome plasticity, which can be altered by the activation of retrotransposons that are sensitive to environmental changes. Genome profiling using the inter-primer binding site (iPBS) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method enables the assessment of genetic polymorphisms within and between populations over small geographical ranges, thereby providing crucial insights for conservation efforts. Paeonia anomala L. (P. anomala) is a valuable medicinal plant that has experienced a population decline in Kazakhstan due to extensive harvesting for medicinal use. This study investigated and analyzed the morphometric traits, genetic diversity, and environmental conditions of five P. anomala populations in the Kazakh Altai. Phenotypic variability analysis revealed significant interpopulation differences in traits such as plant diameter, plant height, raw biomass, and leaf blade length and width. We found that spatial orientation, slope angle, and human activity had a significant effect on the phenotypic variability of P. anomala plants in the studied populations. Genetic analysis using iPBS genome profiling identified 1,176 PCR fragments, of which 860 were polymorphic, with polymorphism levels ranging from 46% to 64%. The IVA population exhibited the highest genetic variability (He = 0.212; I = 0.315), whereas the ASU population exhibited the lowest genetic diversity (He = 0.163; I = 0.244). Our study provides a better understanding of P. anomala population differentiation under local environmental conditions and supports the development of effective conservation strategies.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1550290</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1550290</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Sap flow dynamics of co-occurring trees in response to seasonal droughts in a subtropical climate]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-07-03T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jiaqi Tang</author><author>Zhiqiang Ding</author><author>Guohua Wang</author><author>Yanfang Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionClimate change and extreme rainfall events pose significant challenges to water use strategies for forest species in subtropical regions. Increased degrees of drought and significant seasonal precipitation differences in recent decades in Yunnan Province, China, have exposed forests to high mortality rates. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the water use strategies of plants to help develop relevant forest conservation measures in this region.MethodsIn this study, we selected three co-occurring woody species (Pinus yunnanensis, Keteleeria evelyniana, and Castanopsis delavayi). We continuously monitored their sap flow and water potential, as well as environmental factors, to reveal plant water use strategies and to determine how water use strategies relate to environmental factors and vegetation traits.ResultsThe results of this study revealed that seasonal water use strategies of plants were significantly different (P<0.01), with Js lower in the dry season than in the wet season, while the Js/Js,n was significantly higher in the dry season. Plant water use responded to seasonal environmental factors similarly. SWC was the main limiting factor for Jsin the dry season, and there was a positive correlation between Js,n and VPD; when SWC was sufficient in the wet season, VPD and PAR were the main factors on Js, and there was a negative correlation between Js,n and VPD. In addition, Js,n during the dry season consisted of En and Re, and En accounted for a high percentage (more than 60%). Finally, there are differences in the water use strategies of different species, with Pinus having less tight stomatal control in the dry season, possibly related to its deeper roots and relatively smaller leaf area.DiscussionThese findings on the water use strategies and environmental responses of different species complement our knowledge of survival strategies in subtropical forests and provide valuable advice for forest management.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1505025</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1505025</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Seeing through the gray box: an integrated approach to physiological modeling of phytoplankton stoichiometry]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-12-09T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Catriona L. C. Jones</author><author>Judith Camps-Castella</author><author>Mike Smykala</author><author>Morgan S. Sobol</author><author>Keisuke Inomura</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The ‘black boxes’ of ecological stoichiometry, planktonic microbes, have long been recognized to have considerable effects on global biogeochemical cycles. Significant progress has been made in studying these effects and expanding our understanding of microbial stoichiometry. However, the ‘black box’ has not been completely cracked open; there remain gaps in our knowledge of the fate of elements within the phytoplankton cell, and the effect of external processes on nutrient fluxes through their metabolism and into macromolecules and biomass - the eponymous ‘gray box’. In this review paper, we describe the development of an integrative modeling approach that involves a stoichiometrically explicit model of Macromolecular Allocation and Genome-scale Metabolic Analysis (MAGMA) to gain insights into the intra- and extracellular fluxes of nutrients using the cyanobacterium Parasynechococcus marenigrum WH8102 as a target model organism. We then describe an example of the genome-scale resources for P. marenigrum that can be used to build such an integrated modeling tool to see through the gray box of phytoplankton stoichiometry and improve our understanding of the effects of resource supplies and other environmental drivers, especially temperature, on C:N:P demand, acquisition, and allocation at the cellular level.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1527156</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1527156</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Subsurface microbiology within hydrocarbon resources or stored gases]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-12-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Djuna M. Gulliver</author><author>Elliott P. Barnhart</author><author>Hannah D. Schweitzer</author><author>Heidi J. Smith</author><author>David Midgley</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1505018</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1505018</link>
        <title><![CDATA[What’s the matter in phytoplankton? Highlighting the importance of stoichiometric traits in lake ecosystem models]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-11-26T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Carly R. Olson</author><author>Daniel Gschwentner</author><author>Annemieke M. Drost</author><author>Joseph Mohan</author><author>Helena C. L. Klip</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionAccurate models of lake primary production are crucial for understanding ecosystem function and predicting ecosystem responses to global change. However, current research in lake ecosystem modeling has emphasized environmental characteristics while less work has considered phytoplankton stoichiometric traits. Importantly, these traits link resource availability to primary production via organismal metabolism and thus are critical to predicting ecosystem function.MethodsHere, we use an existing database of phytoplankton traits and lake ecosystem models to demonstrate that phytoplankton minimum quotas for nitrogen and phosphorus significantly influence predictions of lake gross primary production. Additionally, we compare how different parameterizations of phytoplankton stoichiometry affect modeled gross primary production. Finally, we evaluate the ability of the models to capture observed patterns in gross primary production and seston stoichiometry for lakes in the Northern Hemisphere.Results and discussionWe argue that parameterization and calibration of phytoplankton stoichiometric traits will improve lake ecosystem models and are critical for obtaining better estimates of lake primary production.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1452427</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1452427</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Drought responses and adaptation in plants differing in life-form]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-11-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Mudawi M. Nour</author><author>Hanadi Riyad Aljabi</author><author>Arwa Abdulkreem AL-Huqail</author><author>Bernd Horneburg</author><author>Afrah E. Mohammed</author><author>Modhi O. Alotaibi</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Drought is considered one of the most critical abiotic environmental stresses and limits plant growth, development, and productivity. It constitutes a real threat to humanity, especially in dry areas worldwide. Plants manage the negative effects of drought through a complex set of related mechanisms. Knowledge of plant responses and adaptation is more meaningful in plant breeding and genetics for improving drought resistance species. This review will focus on drought response mechanisms and drought adaptation, providing examples from plant species differing in their life-form, including herbaceous and woody plants. Additionally, the potential role of enhancing plant drought responses will be emphasized. This review is of potential significance to researchers and those who wish to obtain a glimpse into plant behavior under drought conditions.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1488465</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1488465</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: The adaptation, plasticity and extinction of forest plants to climate change: mechanisms behind the morphological, physiological, phenological and ecological traits]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-10-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Weiwei Huang</author><author>Johan Gielis</author><author>Peijian Shi</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1476848</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2024.1476848</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Effect of gradual pollen presentation on pollination efficiency and reproduction of Vaccinium corymbosum Berkeley in two habitats]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-10-14T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ke Xin Sun</author><author>Yan Jia Zhang</author><author>Chun Zhi Zhou</author><author>Shan Lin Yang</author><author>Hui Xin Jiang</author><author>Rong Rong Cui</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionGradual pollen presentation is a reproductive strategy for plants to improve the efficiency and accuracy of pollen export and acceptance as well as to promote outcrossing. Vaccinium corymbosum Berkeley has a typical mechanism of gradual pollen presentation.MethodsIn this study, we used indoor and outdoor observations to investigate the floral characteristics, pollination characteristics and breeding system of this species in open ground and greenhouse.ResultsThe results showed that the single white, inverted bell-shaped flower of V. corymbosum was able to effectively avoid the negative effects of rainfall, nectar dilution and pollen removal by wind, and improved pollen viability and the duration of stigma receptivity. The setting rate of ‘Northland’ is higher than open ground by artificial pollination in greenhouse, therefore, greenhouses are more suitable for ‘Northland’ reproduction. The gradual pollen presentation prolongs dispersal time, promotes pollinator participation in the pollination process, increases staminate fitness, and provides for nectar feeding by pollinators as well as pollen export. Bombus spp. and A. m. ligustica were effective pollinators in the open ground and greenhouse, and the pollination efficiency of Bombus spp. was higher than that of A. m. ligustica, and greenhouse pollination is more efficient than open ground. The coincidence of the peak period of pollinator visits with the period of highest pollen viability and optimal pollination of stigmas, as well as the high nectar production, could maximize the frequency of pollinator visits and increase the chances of successful pollination as well as the pollination efficiency.DiscussionTherefore, it is important to study the floral characteristics of V. corymbosum Berkeley and the mechanism of gradual pollen presentation in order to improve the pollination efficiency and promote the success of outcrossing, which can provide a theoretical basis for the breeding of V. corymbosum.]]></description>
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