Université de Fribourg

Comparing species interaction networks along environmental gradients: Networks along environmental gradients

Pellissier, Loïc ; Albouy, Camille ; Bascompte, Jordi ; Farwig, Nina ; Graham, Catherine ; Loreau, Michel ; Maglianesi, Maria Alejandra ; Melián, Carlos J. ; Pitteloud, Camille ; Roslin, Tomas ; Rohr, Rudolf ; Saavedra, Serguei ; Thuiller, Wilfried ; Woodward, Guy ; Zimmermann, Niklaus E. ; Gravel, Dominique

In: Biological Reviews, 2018, vol. 93, no. 2, p. 785–800

Knowledge of species composition and their interactions, in the form of interaction networks, is required to understand processes shaping their distribution over time and space. As such, comparing ecological networks along environmental gradients represents a promising new research avenue to understand the organization of life. Variation in the position and intensity of links within networks...

Université de Fribourg

Ecophylogenetics: advances and perspectives

Mouquet, Nicolas ; Devictor, Vincent ; Meynard, Christine N. ; Munoz, Francois ; Bersier, Louis-Félix ; Chave, Jérôme ; Couteron, Pierre ; Dalecky, Ambroise ; Fontaine, Colin ; Gravel, Dominique ; Hardy, Olivier J. ; Jabot, Franck ; Lavergne, Sébastien ; Leibold, Mathew ; Mouillot, David ; Münkemüller, Tamara ; Pavoine, Sandrine ; Prinzing, Andreas ; Rodrigues, Ana S. L. ; Rohr, Rudolf P. ; Thébault, Elisa ; Thuiller, Wilfried

In: Biologial Review, 2012, vol. 87, no. 4, p. 769-785

Ecophylogenetics can be viewed as an emerging fusion of ecology, biogeography and macroevolution. This new and fast-growing field is promoting the incorporation of evolution and historical contingencies into the ecological research agenda through the widespread use of phylogenetic data. Including phylogeny into ecological thinking represents an opportunity for biologists from different fields...

Université de Fribourg

Mismatch in microbial food webs: predators but not prey perform better in their local biotic and abiotic conditions

Parain, Elodie C. ; Gravel, Dominique ; Rohr, Rudolf P. ; Bersier, Louis-Félix ; Gray, Sarah M.

In: Ecology and Evolution, 2016, vol. 6, no. 14, p. 4885–4897

Understanding how trophic levels respond to changes in abiotic and biotic conditions is key for predicting how food webs will react to environmental perturbations. Different trophic levels may respond disproportionately to change, with lower levels more likely to react faster, as they typically consist of smaller-bodied species with higher reproductive rates. This response could cause a...

Université de Fribourg

Temperature and trophic structure are driving microbial productivity along a biogeographical gradient

Gray, Sarah M. ; Poisot, Timothée ; Harvey, Eric ; Mouquet, Nicolas ; Miller, Thomas E. ; Gravel, Dominique

In: Ecography, 2016, vol. 39, no. 10, p. 981–989

Temperature is known to influence ecosystem processes through its direct effect on biological rates such as respiration and nutrient cycling. These changes can then indirectly affect ecologically processes by altering trophic dynamics, the persistence of a species in a given environment, and, consequently, its distribution. However, it is not known if this direct effect of temperature on...

Université de Fribourg

Top predators affect the composition of naive protist communities, but only in their early-successional stage

Zander, Axel ; Gravel, Dominique ; Bersier, Louis-Félix ; Gray, Sarah M.

In: Oecologia, 2016, vol. 180, no. 2, p. 519–528

Introduced top predators have the potential to disrupt community dynamics when prey species are naive to predation. The impact of introduced predators may also vary depending on the stage of community development. Early-succession communities are likely to have small-bodied and fast-growing species, but are not necessarily good at defending against predators. In contrast, late-succession...