Metal-tolerant fungal communities are delineated by high zinc, lead, and copper concentrations in metalliferous Gobi Desert Soils

The soil fungal ecology of the southern Gobi region of Mongolia has been little studied. We utilized the ITS1 region from soil DNA to study possible influences soil metal concentrations on soil fungal community variation. In the sample network, a distinctive fungal community was closely associated with high zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and copper (Cu) concentrations. The pattern of occurrence suggests that high metal concentrations are natural and not a product of mining activities. The metal-associated fungal community differs little from the “normal” community in its major OTUs, and in terms of major fungal guilds and taxa, and its distinctiveness depends on a combination of many less common OTUs. The fungal community in the sites with high metal concentrations is no less diverse than that in areas with normal background levels. Overall, these findings raise interesting questions of the evolutionary origin and functional characteristics of this apparently “metal-tolerant” community, and of the associated soil biota in general. It is possible that rehabilitation of metal-contaminated mined soils from spoil heaps could benefit from the incorporation of fungi derived from these areas

Climate-driven marmot-plague dynamics in Mongolia and China

Abstract The incidence of plague has rebounded in the Americas, Asia, and Africa alongside rapid globalization and climate change. Previous studies have shown local climate to have significant nonlinear effects on plague dynamics among rodent communities. We analyzed an 18-year database of plague, spanning 1998 to 2015, in the foci of Mongolia and China to trace the associations between marmot plague and climate factors. Our results suggested a density-dependent effect of precipitation and a geographic location-dependent effect of temperature on marmot plague. That is, a significantly positive relationship was evident between risk of plague and precipitation only when the marmot density exceeded a certain threshold. The geographical heterogeneity of the temperature effect and the contrasting slopes of influence for the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and other regions in the study (nQTP) were primarily related to diversity of climate and landscape types

Worldwide evidence of a unimodal relationship between productivity and plant species richness

The search for predictions of species diversity across environmental gradients haschallenged ecologists for decades. The humped-back model (HBM) suggests that plantdiversity peaks at intermediate productivity; at low productivity few species can toleratethe environmental stresses, and at high productivity a few highly competitive speciesdominate. Over time the HBM has become increasingly controversial, and recent studiesclaim to have refuted it. Here, by using data from coordinated surveys conductedthroughout grasslands worldwide and comprising a wide range of site productivities, weprovide evidence in support of the HBM pattern at both global and regional extents. Therelationships described here provide a foundation for further research into the local,landscape, and historical factors that maintain biodiversity.Fil: Fraser, Lauchlan H.. Thompson Rivers University; Estados UnidosFil: Pither, Jason. University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Jentsch, Anke. University Of Bayreuth; AlemaniaFil: Sternberg, Marcelo. Tel Aviv University; IsraelFil: Zobel, Martín. University Of Tartu.; EstoniaFil: Cabido, Marcelo Ruben. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Díaz, Sandra Myrna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Enrico, Lucas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Nabinger, Carlos. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Naseri, Kamal. Ferdowsi University of Mashhad; IránFil: Overbeck, Gerhard E.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Palmer, Todd M.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Parsons, Sheena. University of Kansas; Estados UnidosFil: Pesek, Mary. University of Kansas; Estados UnidosFil: Pillar, Valério D.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Pringle, Robert M.. Princeton University; Estados UnidosFil: Roccaforte, Kathy. University of Kansas; Estados UnidosFil: Schmidt, Amanda. Thompson Rivers University; CanadáFil: Shang, Zhanhuan. Lanzhou University; ChinaFil: Stahlmann, Reinhold. University Of Bayreuth; AlemaniaFil: Stotz, Gisela C.. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Sugiyama, Shu-ichi. Hirosaki University; JapónFil: Szentes, Szilárd. Szent István University; HungríaFil: Thompson, Don. Lethbridge Research Centre; CanadáFil: Tungalag, Radnaakhand. National University of Mongolia; MongoliaFil: Undrakhbold, Sainbileg. National University of Mongolia; MongoliaFil: van Rooyen, Margaretha. University of Pretoria; SudáfricaFil: Wellstein, Camilla. Free University of Bozen Bolzano; ItaliaFil: Wilson, J. Bastow. University Of Otago; Canadá. Crown Research Institutes. Landcare Research; Nueva ZelandaFil: Zupo, Talita. Universidad Estadual Paulista; Brasi

Response to Comment on Worldwide evidence of a unimodal relationship between productivity and plant species richness

Tredennick et al. criticize one of our statistical analyses and emphasize the low explanatory power of models relating productivity to diversity. These criticisms do not detract from our key findings, including evidence consistent with the unimodal constraint relationship predicted by the humped-back model and evidence of scale sensitivities in the form and strength of the relationship.Fil: Pither, Jason. University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Fraser, Lauchlan H.. Thompson Rivers University; CanadáFil: Jentsch, Anke. University of Bayreuth; AlemaniaFil: Sternberg, Marcelo. Tel Aviv University; IsraelFil: Zobel, Martín. University of Tartu; EstoniaFil: Cahill, James. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Cabido, Marcelo Ruben. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Díaz, Sandra Myrna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Enrico, Lucas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Carlyle, Cameron N.. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Chelli, Stefano. University of Camerino; ItaliaFil: Cserg, Anna Maria. The University of Dublin; IrlandaFil: Ensing, David. Queen’s University; CanadáFil: Fidelis, Alessandra. Universidade Estadual Paulista; BrasilFil: Garris, Heath W.. Thompson Rivers University; CanadáFil: Henry, Hugh A. L.. University of Western Ontario; CanadáFil: Höhn, Maria. Corvinus University of Budapest; HungríaFil: Klironomos, John. University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Koorem, Kadri. University of Tartu; EstoniaFil: Lawrence Lodge, Rachel. University of Otago; Nueva ZelandaFil: Manning, Peter. Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung; AlemaniaFil: Mitchell, Randall J.. University of Akron; Estados UnidosFil: Moora, Mary. University of Tartu; EstoniaFil: Pillar, Valerio D.. Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Stotz, Gisela C.. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Sugiyama, Shu-ichi. Hirosaki University; JapónFil: Szentes, Szilárd. Szent István University; HungríaFil: Tungalag, Radnaakhand. National University of Mongolia; MongoliaFil: Undrakhbold, Sainbileg. Free University of Bozen-Bolzano; ItaliaFil: Wellstein, Camila. Free University of Bozen-Bolzano; ItaliaFil: Zupo, Talita. Universidade Estadual Paulista; Brasi

Not a melting pot : plant species aggregate in their non-native range

AIM : Plant species continue to be moved outside of their native range by human activities. Here, we aim to determine whether, once introduced, plants assimilate into native communities or whether they aggregate, thus forming mosaics of native- and alien-rich communities. Alien species might aggregate in their non-native range owing to shared habitat preferences, such as their tendency to establish in high-biomass, species-poor areas. LOCATION : Twenty-two herbaceous grasslands in 14 countries, mainly in the temperate zone. TIME PERIOD : 2012–2016. MAJOR TAXA STUDIED : Plants. METHODS : We used a globally coordinated survey. Within this survey, we found 46 plant species, predominantly from Eurasia, for which we had co-occurrence data in their native and non-native ranges. We tested for differences in co-occurrence patterns of 46 species between their native (home) and non-native (away) range. We also tested whether species had similar habitat preferences, by testing for differences in total biomass and species richness of the patches that species occupy in their native and non-native ranges. RESULTS : We found the same species to show different patterns of association depending on whether they were in their native or non-native range. Alien species were negatively associated with native species; instead, they aggregated with other alien species in species-poor, high-biomass communities in their non-native range compared with their native range. MAIN CONCLUSIONS : The strong differences between the native (home) and non-native (away) range in species co-occurrence patterns are evidence that the way in which species associate with resident communities in their non-native range is not species dependent, but is instead a property of being away from their native range. These results thus highlight that species might undergo important ecological changes when introduced away from their native range. Overall, we show origin-dependent associations that result in novel communities, in which alien-rich patches exist within a mosaic of native-dominated communities.Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; Taylor Family-Asia Foundation Endowed Chair in Ecology and Conservation Biology; GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00019 project; U.S. National Science Foundation; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; Fundação Grupo Boticário; National Science Foundation; Asia Foundation; Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico; Estonian Research Council and European Regional Development Fund.http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/gebhj2021Plant Production and Soil Scienc

Not a melting pot: Plant species aggregate in their non‐native range

AimPlant species continue to be moved outside of their native range by human activities. Here, we aim to determine whether, once introduced, plants assimilate into native communities or whether they aggregate, thus forming mosaics of native‐ and alien‐rich communities. Alien species might aggregate in their non‐native range owing to shared habitat preferences, such as their tendency to establish in high‐biomass, species‐poor areas.LocationTwenty‐two herbaceous grasslands in 14 countries, mainly in the temperate zone.Time period2012?2016.Major taxa studiedPlants.MethodsWe used a globally coordinated survey. Within this survey, we found 46 plant species, predominantly from Eurasia, for which we had co‐occurrence data in their native and non‐native ranges. We tested for differences in co‐occurrence patterns of 46 species between their native (home) and non‐native (away) range. We also tested whether species had similar habitat preferences, by testing for differences in total biomass and species richness of the patches that species occupy in their native and non‐native ranges.ResultsWe found the same species to show different patterns of association depending on whether they were in their native or non‐native range. Alien species were negatively associated with native species; instead, they aggregated with other alien species in species‐poor, high‐biomass communities in their non‐native range compared with their native range.Main conclusionsThe strong differences between the native (home) and non‐native (away) range in species co‐occurrence patterns are evidence that the way in which species associate with resident communities in their non‐native range is not species dependent, but is instead a property of being away from their native range. These results thus highlight that species might undergo important ecological changes when introduced away from their native range. Overall, we show origin‐dependent associations that result in novel communities, in which alien‐rich patches exist within a mosaic of native‐dominated communities.Fil: Stotz, Gisela C.. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Cahill Jr, James F.. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Bennett, Jonathan A.. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Carlyle, Cameron N.. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Bork, Edward W.. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Askarizadeh, Diana. University of Tehran; IsraelFil: Bartha, Sandor. Centre for Ecological Research; HungríaFil: Beierkuhnlein, Carl. University of Bayreuth; AlemaniaFil: Boldgiv, Bazartseren. National University of Mongolia; MongoliaFil: Brown, Leslie. University of South Africa; SudáfricaFil: Cabido, Marcelo Ruben. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Campetella, Giandiego. Universita Degli Di Camerino; ItaliaFil: Chelli, Stefano. Universita Degli Di Camerino; ItaliaFil: Cohen, Ofer. Universitat Tel Aviv; IsraelFil: Díaz, Sandra Myrna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Enrico, Lucas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Ensing, David. Queens University; CanadáFil: Erdenetsetseg, Batdelger. National University of Mongolia; MongoliaFil: Fidelis, Alessandra. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Garris, Heath W.. Covenant College; Estados UnidosFil: Henry, Hugh A. L.. Western Ontario University; CanadáFil: Jentsch, Anke. University of Bayreuth; AlemaniaFil: Hassan, Mohammad. Islamic Azad University; IránFil: Koorem, Kadri. University of Tartu; EstoniaFil: Manning, Peter. Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre; AlemaniaFil: Mitchell, Randall. University of Akron; Estados UnidosFil: Moora, Mari. University of Tartu; EstoniaFil: Overbeck, Gerhard E.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Pither, Jason. University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Reinhart, Kurt O.. United States Department of Agriculture ; Estados UnidosFil: Sternberg, Marcelo. Universitat Tel Aviv; IsraelFil: Tungalag, Radnaakhand. National University of Mongolia; MongoliaFil: Undrakhbold, Sainbileg. National University of Mongolia; MongoliaFil: van Rooyen, Margaretha. University of Pretoria; SudáfricaFil: Wellstein, Camilla. Free University of Bozen; ItaliaFil: Zobel, Martin. University of Tartu; EstoniaFil: Fraser, Lauchlan H.. Thompson Rivers University; Canad

137 ancient human genomes from across the Eurasian steppes.

For thousands of years the Eurasian steppes have been a centre of human migrations and cultural change. Here we sequence the genomes of 137 ancient humans (about 1× average coverage), covering a period of 4,000 years, to understand the population history of the Eurasian steppes after the Bronze Age migrations. We find that the genetics of the Scythian groups that dominated the Eurasian steppes throughout the Iron Age were highly structured, with diverse origins comprising Late Bronze Age herders, European farmers and southern Siberian hunter-gatherers. Later, Scythians admixed with the eastern steppe nomads who formed the Xiongnu confederations, and moved westward in about the second or third century BC, forming the Hun traditions in the fourth-fifth century AD, and carrying with them plague that was basal to the Justinian plague. These nomads were further admixed with East Asian groups during several short-term khanates in the Medieval period. These historical events transformed the Eurasian steppes from being inhabited by Indo-European speakers of largely West Eurasian ancestry to the mostly Turkic-speaking groups of the present day, who are primarily of East Asian ancestry

Data from: Ancient genomes revisit the ancestry of domestic and Przewalski’s horses

The Eneolithic Botai culture of the Central Asian steppes provides the earliest archaeological evidence for horse husbandry, ~5500 years ago, but the exact nature of early horse domestication remains controversial. We generated 42 ancient-horse genomes, including 20 from Botai. Compared to 46 published ancient- and modern-horse genomes, our data indicate that Przewalski’s horses are the feral descendants of horses herded at Botai and not truly wild horses. All domestic horses dated from ~4000 years ago to present only show ~2.7% of Botai-related ancestry. This indicates that a massive genomic turnover underpins the expansion of the horse stock that gave rise to modern domesticates, which coincides with large-scale human population expansions during the Early Bronze Age

Data from: Worldwide evidence of a unimodal relationship between productivity and plant species richness

The search for predictions of species diversity across environmental gradients has challenged ecologists for decades. The humped-back model (HBM) suggests that plant diversity peaks at intermediate productivity; at low productivity few species can tolerate the environmental stresses, and at high productivity a few highly competitive species dominate. Over time the HBM has become increasingly controversial, and recent studies claim to have refuted it. Here, by using data from coordinated surveys conducted throughout grasslands worldwide and comprising a wide range of site productivities, we provide evidence in support of the HBM pattern at both global and regional extents. The relationships described here provide a foundation for further research into the local, landscape, and historical factors that maintain biodiversity