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In this article, we present results from a literature review of intrinsic, instrumental, and relational values of nature conducted for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, as part of the Methodological Assessment of the Diverse Values and Valuations of Nature. We identify the most frequently recurring meanings in the heterogeneous use of different v
The COVID-19 pandemic illustrated many of the challenges with using science to guide planning and policymaking. One such challenge has to do with how to manage, represent and communicate uncertainties in epidemiological models. This is considerably complicated, we argue, by the fact that the models themselves are often instrumental in structuring the involved uncertainties. In this paper we explor
Aim: Global interspecific body size distributions have been suggested to be shaped by selection pressures arising from biotic and abiotic factors such as temperature, predation and parasitism. Here, we investigated the ecological and evolutionary drivers of global latitudinal size gradients in an old insect order. Location: Global. Taxon: Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies). Methods: We compiled
Ecologists and evolutionary biologists are well aware that natural and sexual selection do not operate on traits in isolation, but instead act on combinations of traits. This long-recognized and pervasive phenomenon is known as multivariate selection, or—in the particular case where it favours correlations between interacting traits—correlational selection. Despite broad acknowledgement of correla
In recent years, starch nanoparticles (SNPs) have attracted growing attention due to their unique properties as a sustainable alternative to common nanomaterials since they are natural, renewable and biodegradable. SNPs can be obtained by the breakdown of starch granules through different techniques which include both physical and chemical methods. The final properties of the SNPs are strongly inf
As an alternative to clear-cutting, variable-retention harvesting is now standard forest management practice on the coast of British Columbia and in temperate forests globally, due to the benefits associated with maintaining mature forest species and forest structural diversity. Although there is some evidence that variable-retention harvesting, particularly single-tree (dispersed) retention will
The extinction of 80% of megaherbivore (>1,000 kg) species towards the end of the Pleistocene altered vegetation structure, fire dynamics and nutrient cycling world-wide. Ecologists have proposed (re)introducing megaherbivores or their ecological analogues to restore lost ecosystem functions and reinforce extant but declining megaherbivore populations. However, the effects of megaherbivores on sma
The fields of human genetics and genomics have generated considerable knowledge about the mechanistic basis of many diseases. Genomic approaches to diagnosis, prognostication, prevention and treatment – genomic-driven precision medicine (GDPM) – may help optimize medical practice. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of GDPM of complex diseases across major medical specialties. We focus on tech
Land use is at the core of today’s complex sustainability challenges. Agricultural and environmental economics share a focus land and resource use but evolved in their own domains. Their specialized competencies can be complementary and thus strengthen policy analysis. We use structural topic modelling on more than 24,000 articles in the top agricultural economics and environmental economics journ
Soil moisture can strongly affect the fate of soil organic carbon (C) during microbial decomposition, but the characterisation and prediction of the effects remain challenging, especially the long-term effects of drought history and its interaction with current levels of soil moisture. We investigated the legacy effects of drought on soil activity and microbial community composition and its intera
We have entered a monumental era in terms of realizing the impact of biodiversity loss on our everyday lives. We suffer from the consequences of biodiversity loss due to overexploitation of natural resources as we continue failing to restore biodiversity. One of the major consequences of biodiversity loss is the emergence of global pandemics. We are in urgent need of realizing the full potential o
The supply of carbon (C) from tree photosynthesis to ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi is known to decrease with increasing plant nitrogen (N) supply, but how this affects fungal nutrition and growth remains to be clarified. We placed mesh-bags with quartz sand, with or without an organic N (15N-, 13C-labeled) source, in the soil along a natural N supply gradient in boreal forest, to measure growth and
Our food and land-use systems are critical for staying within our planetary boundaries and the Earth’s system resilience. Among the six Transformations required to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the fourth Transformation—focusing on food, land, and water—is crucial. This Transformation is key to achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 12 (Responsib
Genetic studies show that Iranians, despite linguistic and regional differences, share a deep ancestral continuity rooted in the Iranian plateau. Language shifts have occurred without major population changes, and all major Iranian groups belong to a shared genetic family. This unity supports a democratic and inclusive national identity, where diversity strengthens rather than divides.
Magneto-responsive soft films constitute a fascinating class of smart materials and devices capable of performing various tasks, such as micromanipulation or transport, noninvasive surgery, and sensing. These components are fabricated by incorporating magnetic materials into flexible substrates. In this context, arranging magnetic particles into elongated chains exhibiting shape anisotropy has sho
