Trends in ecology & evolution最新文献

Artificial structures are ubiquitous features of urbanized coastal landscapes, but research and management solutions have focused on lower shore communities, neglecting the terrestrial-marine transitional zone. The ecological role of supralittoral habitats on artificial structures generates unique opportunities for the conservation of native species and reducing the spread of nondesired species.

The idea that Earth is currently experiencing a sixth mass extinction is widespread. We critically evaluate this claim. Very few studies have tested this idea. Some studies showed that recent extinction rates are faster than fossil background rates, but extinction rates can exceed background rates outside mass extinctions. Other studies extrapolated from recent extinctions to project 75% global species loss. But these recent extinctions were mostly of island species. No cause was specified for these future extinctions, and >50% of assessed species are considered non-threatened. We find numerous other issues. Proponents of the sixth mass extinction have made invaluable contributions by highlighting recent extinctions, but these extinctions may not be equivalent to past mass extinctions or relevant to current threats.

The biophilia hypothesis has been influential in explaining humans' attraction to nature. Here, we critically evaluate recent research on biophilia, focusing on automatic and instinct-like responses to nature. We explore how biophilia-based interventions may contribute to inequality and propose cultural evolution as a parsimonious alternative to biophilia.

Vagrancy occurs across animal taxa and biological realms. When vagrants carry pathogens they become potential agents for the spread of disease into new regions. Here we call for consideration of vagrancy as a potential mechanism for the spread of global pathogens, and the utility of using vagrants for pathogen biosurveillance.

Dollo's law of irreversibility argues that evolution cannot revert to earlier states. It has remained controversial ever since its inception in the 19th century. Enabled by advances in phylogenomics and functional genomics, recent studies show that there are very likely some cases of 'breaking Dollo's law'. As post-genomic research grows from showing patterns to revealing processes, new emphasis is needed on the molecular mechanisms by which Dollo's law might be broken. Shifting the argument from 'if it happened' to 'how it happened' will provide richer understanding of organismal and evolutionary biology. Motivated by case studies and novel avenues to test trait loss and regain, we outline a set of alternative hypotheses to be evaluated and what the outcomes tell us about evolution.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an emerging tool that could be leveraged to identify the effective conservation solutions demanded by the urgent biodiversity crisis. We present the results of our horizon scan of AI applications likely to significantly benefit biological conservation. An international panel of conservation scientists and AI experts identified 21 key ideas. These included species recognition to uncover 'dark diversity', multimodal models to improve biodiversity loss predictions, monitoring wildlife trade, and addressing human-wildlife conflict. We consider the potential negative impacts of AI adoption, such as AI colonialism and loss of essential conservation skills, and suggest how the conservation field might adapt to harness the benefits of AI while mitigating its risks.