Aim Plant functional groups are widely used in community ecology and earth system modelling to describe trait variation within and across plant communities. However, this approach rests on the assumption that functional groups explain a large proportion of trait variation among species. We test whether four commonly used plant functional groups represent variation in six ecologically important plant traits. Location Tundra bio...

Motivation The Tundra Trait Team (TTT) database includes field‐based measurements of key traits related to plant form and function at multiple sites across the tundra biome. This dataset can be used to address theoretical questions about plant strategy and trade‐offs, trait–environment relationships and environmental filtering, and trait variation across spatial scales, to validate satellite data, and to inform Earth system mo...

Mechanistic understanding of scale effects is important for interpreting the processes that control the global carbon cycle. Greater attention should be given to scale in soil organic carbon ( SOC ) science so that we can devise better policy to protect/enhance existing SOC stocks and ensure sustainable use of soils. Global issues such as climate change require consideration of SOC stock changes at the global and biosphere sca...

Barriers along a watercourse and interconnections between drainage systems are dynamic landscape elements that are expected to play major roles in the dispersal and genetic structure of fish species. The objective of this study was to assess the role of these elements using creek chub ( Semotilus atromaculatus ) in the Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve (Québec, Canada) as model. Numerous impassable waterfalls and interconnections a...

Phylogeographic studies have shed light on Pleistocene glaciations as a key factor in shaping present‐day genetic structure of many organisms. In formerly glaciated regions, the combined action of several factors such as refuges origin, physiological capacities and demographic parameters have contributed importantly to this process but specifically for each species. Therefore, a fine‐scale genetic structure is not expected to...

In order to identify the several biotypes of the Phoxinus eos‐neogaeus hybrid complex that can be found in sympatry with either or both parental species, a PCR based method was developed. This allowed identification of the mitochondrial genome and determination of the composition and the ploidy of the nuclear genome.

Current evolutionary forces and historical processes interact to shape the distribution of neutral genetic variability within and among populations. Focusing on the genetics of recently introduced organisms offers a good opportunity to understand the relative importance of these factors. This study concerns variation at 8 polymorphic microsatellite loci in 30 populations of Biomphalaria pfeifferi . The sampling area spans most...