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To determine the drivers of phytoplankton biomass, we collected standardized morphometric, physical, and biological data in 230 lakes across the Mediterranean, Continental, and Boreal climatic zones of the European continent. Multilinear regression models tested on this snapshot of mostly eutrophic lakes (median total phosphorus [TP] = 0.06 and total nitrogen [TN] = 0.7 mg L−1), and its subsets (2
Cities are experiencing numerous challenges, adversely affecting human health and wellbeing. Urban green space provides ecosystem services that are important to meet urban challenges. One type of urban green space is private gardens (yards) that make up an essential part of many urban areas. Gardens can support urban biodiversity and provide cultural ecosystem services (CES) to its owner. However,
Many exemplary projects have demonstrated that Nature-based Solutions (NBS) can contribute to climate change adaptation, but now the challenge is to scale up their use. Setting realistic policy goals requires knowing the amount of different NBS types that can fit in the urban space and the benefits that can be expected. This research aims to assess the potential for a full-scale implementation of
Urban environments are exposed to a substantial range of anthropic pressures, including chemical exposure. While trace metals and legacy pollutants have been well documented, the extent of wildlife exposure to emerging contaminants has received little attention, in terrestrial mammals. Concentrations of trace elements (Ag, Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn) and 48 organic pollutants (Polyc
Dune slacks are biodiverse seasonal wetlands within sand dune systems, strongly influenced by the dynamics of the local groundwater regime. Future climate predictions indicate strong adverse impact on the hydrology and therefore ecology of these wetland ecosystems. In this study we aimed to find the most appropriate hydrological and ecological indicators to summarise dune slack plant community res
The widespread contamination of urban soils by airborne microplastics (MPs) is an emerging environmental issue, particularly in urban allotment gardens with home-grown food. This study investigates the vertical distribution of MP in three such gardens in Berlin, Germany, over 90 days. Soil samples were collected at three depths (0-1 cm, 1–15 cm, and 15–30 cm) and analyzed for MP composition and oc
Motivation: Here, we make available a second version of the BioTIME database, which compiles records of abundance estimates for species in sample events of ecological assemblages through time. The updated version expands version 1.0 of the database by doubling the number of studies and includes substantial additional curation to the taxonomic accuracy of the records, as well as the metadata. Moreo
Aims: We introduce ReSurveyEurope — a new data source of resurveyed vegetation plots in Europe, compiled by a collaborative network of vegetation scientists. We de-scribe the scope of this initiative, provide an overview of currently available data, governance, data contribution rules, and accessibility. In addition, we outline further steps, including potential research questions. Results: ReSurv
Social behavior is observed in a wide range of species, and its potential benefits include protection from predators, enhanced feeding, and reproductive opportunities. Experimental approaches using artificial selection on sociability can answer fundamental questions about the evolution of social behavior, such as: Can sociability evolve by artificial selection? Is aggressiveness associated with so
During the Age of Mass Migration, 30 million Europeans left their home countries and emigrated to the United States. Sweden had one of the highest out-migration rates of the era. Between 1860 to 1920, around 1.3 million people–a quarter of the population–left Sweden to seek opportunity in the United States. This essay delves into one particular aspect of this historic migration episode. I study t
Interactions between microbiomes and metabolites play crucial roles in the environment, yet how these interactions drive greenhouse gas emissions during ecosystem changes remains unclear. Here we analysed microbial and metabolite composition across a permafrost thaw gradient in Stordalen Mire, Sweden, using paired genome-resolved metagenomics and high-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron res
Slight modifications to the manufacturer’s protocol (Qiagen #12966-10, now discontinued and replaced with #12988-10) enabled the successful extraction of high-quality DNA and RNA from permafrost peat samples. Integrating the DNA and RNA purification steps immediately after the extraction process helped streamline the workflow, resulting in consistent quality nucleic acids suitable for downstream s
Soil microorganisms are pivotal in the global carbon cycle, but the viruses that affect them and their impact on ecosystems are less understood. In this study, we explored the diversity, dynamics, and ecology of soil viruses through 379 metagenomes collected annually from 2010 to 2017. These samples spanned the seasonally thawed active layer of a permafrost thaw gradient, which included palsa, bog
Permanent ponds represent key landscape components that support biodiversity and supply various ecosystem services. Notably, the export of aquatic subsidies to land via emerging insects, may significantly influence terrestrial food webs. Various factors, including eutrophication, can influence these exports. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which greatly enhance consumer fitness, are among the
The European Green Deal recognises the importance of addressing the environmental challenges posed by agriculture to meet the global biodiversity and climate agendas. Environmental policymaking is needed to drive and speed up sustainability transitions in agriculture because the environmental consequences of agricultural activities are not generally reflected in production costs and lead to market
Arctic tundra ecosystems store a significant proportion of the global soil organic carbon (C). However, warming-induced shrub encroachment and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L.) grazing regimes promoting graminoid vegetation may strongly influence tundra soil C stability. Here, we studied how reindeer grazing intensity and experimental warming affect soil C stabilization in a tundra ecosystem. We hyp
Plant-insect interactions are crucial for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in grassland ecosystems. Mutualistic pollination and antagonistic herbivory drive ecological processes such as nutrient cycling, community assembly, and food web stability. However, anthropogenic pressures, including land-use change, agricultural intensification, and environmental stressors like drought and
