Modern Coexistence Theory (MCT) has long aimed to predict community structure, but empirical support remains scattered across unconnected case‐studies from a narrow subset of systems where it is possible to quantify niche and fitness differences (e.g., pairwise interactions between fast‐growing plants or protists). We sought a framework to apply MCT to a broader range of ecological scenarios by combining eDNA dietary data with...

Dust and grit are ingested by herbivores in their natural habitats along with the plants that represent their selected diet. Among the functions of the rumen, a washing of ingesta from adhering dust and grit has recently been demonstrated. The putative consequence is a less strenuous wear on ruminant teeth by external abrasives during rumination. The same function should theoretically apply to camelids, but has not been invest...

Seasonal reproduction is common in mammals. Whereas specific conditions triggering a seasonal response can only be identified in controlled experiments, large-scale comparisons of reproduction in natural habitats and zoos can advance knowledge for taxa unavailable for experimentation. We outline how such a comparison can identify species whose seasonal physiology is linked to photoperiodic triggers, and those whose perceived s...

Predator–prey relationships are vital to ecosystem function and there is a need for greater predictive understanding of these interactions. We develop a geometric foraging model predicting minimum prey size scaling in marine and terrestrial vertebrate predators taking into account habitat dimensionality and biological traits. Our model predicts positive predator–prey size relationships on land but negative relationships in the...

Field studies of plant stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition have revealed relationships with temperature and precipitation. These relationships conform to theoretical predictions of how extrinsic factors impact on ecophysiological processes such as photosynthesis and nitrogen cycling. However, examination of many datasets reveals high levels of variation, especially across environments with moderate precipitation ( −...