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The global impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change are interlinked, but the feedbacks between them are rarely assessed. Areas with greater tree diversity tend to be more productive, providing a greater carbon sink, and biodiversity loss could reduce these natural carbon sinks. Here, we quantify how tree and shrub species richness could affect biomass production on biome, national and regional scales. We find that GHG mitigation could help maintain tree diversity and thereby avoid a 9–39% reduction in terrestrial primary productivity across different biomes, which could otherwise occur over the next 50 years. Countries that will incur the greatest economic damages from climate change stand to benefit the most from conservation of tree diversity and primary productivity, which contribute to climate change mitigation. Our results emphasize an opportunity for a triple win for climate, biodiversity and society, and highlight that these co-benefits should be the focus of reforestation programmes.Exploring how biodiversity and climate change are interlinked, the authors show that limiting warming could maintain tree diversity, avoiding primary productivity loss. Countries with greater climate change economic costs benefit most: a potential triple win for climate, biodiversity and society.

Biodiversity loss can alter ecosystem functioning; however, it remains unclear how it alters decomposition—a critical component of biogeochemical cycles in the biosphere. Here, we provide a global-scale meta-analysis to quantify how changes in the diversity of organic matter derived from plants (i.e. litter) affect rates of decomposition. We find that the after-life effects of diversity were significant, and of substantial magnitude, in forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Changes in plant diversity could alter decomposition rates by as much as climate change is projected to alter them. Specifically, diversifying plant litter from mono- to mixed-species increases decomposition rate by 34.7% in forests worldwide, which is comparable in magnitude to the 13.6–26.4% increase in decomposition rates that is projected to occur over the next 50 years in response to climate warming. Thus, biodiversity changes cannot be solely viewed as a response to human influence, such as climate change, but could also be a non-negligible driver of future changes in biogeochemical cycles and climate feedbacks on Earth. There is evidence that reducing plant litter diversity may slow litter decomposition rate. Here, Mori and colleagues perform a global meta-analysis of litter-bag studies to show that mixed-species litter assemblages decompose faster than monospecific assemblages, with a magnitude comparable to the predicted effect of climate warming.

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi are functionally important in biogeochemical cycles in tropical ecosystems. Extracellular enzymatic activity of ECM on a ground-area basis is the product of two attributes; exploration capacity (ECM surface-area) and specific enzymatic activity. Here, we elucidated which attribute better explained the ECM enzymatic activity in response to different levels of soil phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N) availability in five Bornean tropical rainforests. We determined the surface area of ECM root tips as well as the enzymatic activities per ECM surface area for carbon (C), N and P degrading enzymes in each site. We evaluated the relationship of ECM enzyme activities with the resource availabilities of C (Above-ground net primary production; ANPP), N, and P of ECM by a generalized linear mixed model. The ECM enzymatic activities on a ground-area basis were more significantly determined by specific enzymatic activity than by the exploration capacity. Specific enzymatic activities were generally negatively affected by C (ANPP) and soil P availability. ECM fungi enhance the specific enzyme activity rather than the exploration capacity to maintain the capacity of nutrient acquisition. The less dependence of ECM fungi on the exploration capacity in these forests may be related to the limitation of C supply from host trees. We highlighted the adaptive mechanisms of ECM fungi on nutrient acquisition in tropical ecosystems through the response of enzymatic activity to nutrient availability across the elements.

Understanding the regeneration and succession of belowground communities, particularly in forests, is vital for maintaining ecosystem health. Despite its importance, there is limited knowledge regarding how fungal communities change over time during ecosystem development, especially under different forest restoration strategies. In this study, we focused on two restoration methods used in northern Japan: monoculture planting and natural regeneration. We examined the responses of the fungal community to monoculture plantations (active tree planting) and naturally regenerated (passive regeneration) forests over a 50-year chronosequence, using natural forests as a reference. Based on DNA metabarcoding, we assessed the richness of fungal Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) and their dissimilarity. Our findings revealed that soil fungal richness remained stable after natural regeneration but declined in monoculture plantations, from 354 to 247 OTUs. While the compositional dissimilarity of fungal assemblages between monoculture plantations and natural forests remained consistent regardless of the time since tree planting, it significantly decreased after natural regeneration, suggesting recovery to a state close to the reference level. Notably, the composition of key functional fungal groups—saprotrophic and ectomycorrhizal— has increasingly mirrored that of natural forests over time following passive natural regeneration. In summary, our study suggests that monoculture plantations may not be effective for long-term ecosystem function and service recovery because of their limited support for soil fungal diversity. These results underscore the importance of natural regeneration in forest restoration and management strategies.

We investigated how temperature and nutrient availability regulate fine-root productivity in nine tropical rainforest ecosystems on two altitudinal gradients with contrasting soil phosphorus (P) availabilities on Mount Kinabalu, Borneo. We measured the productivity and the nutrient contents of fine roots, and analyzed the relationships between fine-root parameters and environmental factors. The fine-root net primary productivity (NPP), total NPP, and ratio of fine-root NPP to total NPP differed greatly among the sites, ranging from 72 to 228 (g m −2  year −1 ), 281–2240 (g m −2  year −1 ), and 0.06–0.30, respectively. A multiple-regression analysis suggested a positive effect of P availability on total NPP, whereas fine-root NPP was positively correlated with mean annual temperature and with P and negatively correlated with N. The biomass and longevity of fine roots increased in response to the impoverishment of soil P. The carbon (C) to P ratio (C/P) of fine roots was significantly and positively correlated with the P-use efficiency of above-ground litter production, indicating that tropical rainforest trees dilute P in fine roots to maintain the C allocation ratio to these roots. We highlighted the mechanisms regulating the fine-root productivity of tropical rainforest ecosystems in relation to the magnitude of nutrient deficiency. The trees showed C-conservation mechanisms rather than C investment as responses to decreasing soil P availability, which demonstrates that the below-ground systems at these sites are strongly limited by P, similar to the above-ground systems.

Plant communities and ecosystem processes in seres at multiple altitudes in the tropical montane forest zone of northern Borneo were studied to understand the patterns and mechanisms of the secondary succession after shifting cultivation. A total of 25 stands (and additional three stands) were sampled with stand ages ranging from 2 to 55 y after slash and burn at altitudes between 900 and 1400 m asl. Plant species composition, above-ground biomass (AGB), chemical properties of soils, litter and foliar samples were investigated in each stand. A TWINSPAN analysis classified five plant communities primarily as a sere but with two altitudinal communities in the later successional phase. AGB accumulated steadily at the rate of 2.42 Mg ha−1 y−1 during the succession for the first 55 y due to the ontogenetic development of plants as well as plant community shifts. At the onset of secondary succession, pool of soil NO3-N and soil total P was high probably because burning caused flushes of minerals originating from the burnt plant materials. Pool of soil NO3-N and soil total P decreased with increasing stand age during the succession. Leaf-litter N:P ratios of dominant species significantly increased with increasing stand age suggesting disproportionately greater P deficiency than N deficiency in the later successional phase. It is suggested that tree species shifted to those of greater P-use efficiency during succession in response to decreasing soil P availability. We conclude that the interaction of altitude with the reduction of soil N and P availability was related to the altitudinal split of plant communities in the later phase, while pioneer communities were wide-ranging across altitudes reflecting richer soil nutrients.

In 2016, Ecological Research ( ER ) celebrated its 30th anniversary. ER ’s goal is to be the leading ecological, evolutionary, and biodiversity journal in Asia. This article introduces the development of ER , improvements to its editorial system and their outcomes, and the strategies designed to achieve this goal. ER has already become a leading comprehensive and international publication as shown by statistical evidence and its strong editorial foundation. However, some members of the Ecological Society of Japan (ESJ) retain impressions of an old stereotype about ER . The discrepancy between the current status of the journal and its stereotype may explain why submissions from Japan remain static. A new article category for ER , Biodiversity in Asia, was created to encourage Asian studies. In addition, the Forum category is dedicated to promoting a broad understanding of the ESJ’s various activities. To promote open science, the proportion of open access articles in the journal is increasing. The publication of Data papers has been accelerated to improve the public availability of excellent open data sets. ER symposia and seminars provide good opportunities for members to participate. ER financially supports the invitation of scientists internationally to facilitate research exchanges with other countries and consequently promotes the internationalization of the ESJ. The ESJ is open to the world’s ecologists, and your participation in developing ER is welcome.

Tropical countries are now facing increasing global pressure to conserve tropical forests, while having to maintain cultivated lands (particularly shifting cultivation) for the subsistence of local people. To accomplish the effective conservation of tropical forests in harmony with subsistence shifting cultivation, we evaluated the influence of shifting cultivation on ecosystem services (i.e., biodiversity and carbon stock) at a landscape level based on three land-use scenarios. The study focus was the upland area between the Kinabalu Park and the Crocker Range Park in Sabah, northern Borneo, where local people conduct shifting cultivation for their subsistence. In this area, vegetation patches of various stages of secondary succession admix with shifting-cultivation lands. An earlier study in the same site depicted significant relationships between the stand ages of vegetation patches (which form a sere of secondary succession after the abandonment of cultivated land) and the above-ground biomass (i.e., carbon stock) and species composition of the stands. We incorporated these significant relationships to a stand-age estimation algorithm that had been developed earlier. We first mapped current (as of 2010) spatial patterns of the above-ground biomass and plant-community composition for the whole landscape. Subsequently, we simulated the spatiotemporal patterns of the above-ground biomass and plant-community distribution using three land-use scenarios: (1) reducing the area of shifting cultivation by one half and protecting the rest of the area; (2) shortening the minimum fallow period from 7 to 4 years while maintaining the same area of cultivation; and (3) elongating the minimum fallow period from 7 to 10 years while maintaining the same area of cultivation. Results indicated that land use based on scenario 2 could increase the carbon stock while maintaining the cultivation area. Our methods were effective in mapping the structure and composition of highly dynamic forests at a landscape level, and at predicting the future patterns of important ecosystem services based on land-use scenarios.

IntroductionThe intestinal microbiota of people with Parkinson’s disease (PwP) differs significantly from that of healthy individuals. Given that altered microbiota may play a role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease, faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been proposed as a potential therapeutic approach. However, the efficacy of FMT in improving motor symptoms in PwP has been inconclusive in some pilot randomised controlled trials (RCT). Previous RCTs on PwP employed simple FMT, but our modified approach—pretreatment with antibiotics before FMT (A-FMT)—has been shown to improve the engraftment rate of given species and the beneficial effects of FMT. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of A-FMT for PwP, particularly in those with motor fluctuations.Methods and analysisThis study is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study with an 8-week observation period following a single A-FMT. Thirty clinically established PwP with prominent motor fluctuation episodes will be randomised 1:1 to FMT or placebo. Participants in both groups will receive antibiotic treatment prior to colonoscopy for FMT or placebo treatment. Primary and secondary endpoints will include subjective and objective evaluations of motor and non-motor symptoms and will be evaluated before and after antibiotic treatment and at 4 and 8 weeks after the procedure. Exploratory endpoints will include blood and faecal sample analyses, advanced brain MRI and pharmacokinetic assessment of levodopa concentrations during a levodopa challenge test.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the ethical committee of Juntendo University in August 2024 (J24-005) and will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, the Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Clinical Trials Act and related laws and regulations. All patient data will be anonymised to protect privacy and used solely for study purposes. Results will be published in academic journals and presented at conferences.Trial registration numberjRCTs031240344.

Background Error-corrected next-generation sequencing (ecNGS) enables the sensitive detection of chemically induced mutations. Matsumura et al. reported Hawk-Seq™, an ecNGS method, demonstrating its utility in clarifying mutagenicity both qualitatively and quantitatively. To further promote the adoption of ecNGS-based assays, it is important to evaluate their inter-laboratory transferability and reproducibility. Therefore, we evaluated the inter-laboratory reproducibility of Hawk-Seq™ and its concordance with the transgenic rodent mutation (TGR) assay. Results The Hawk-Seq™ protocol was successfully transferred from the developer’s laboratory (lab A) to two additional laboratories (labs B, C). Whole genomic mutations were analyzed independently using the same genomic DNA samples from the livers of gpt delta mice exposed to benzo[ a ]pyrene (BP), N -ethyl- N -nitrosourea (ENU), and N -methyl- N -nitrosourea (MNU). In all laboratories, clear dose-dependent increases in base substitution (BS) frequencies were observed, specific to each mutagen (e.g. G:C to T:A for BP). Statistically significant increases in overall mutation frequencies (OMFs) were identified at the same doses across all laboratories, suggesting high reproducibility in mutagenicity assessment. The correlation coefficient (r 2 ) of the six types of BS frequencies exceeded 0.97 among the three laboratories for BP- or ENU-exposed samples. Thus, Hawk-Seq™ provides qualitatively and quantitatively reproducible results across laboratories. The OMFs in the Hawk-Seq™ analysis positively correlated (r 2  = 0.64) with gpt mutant frequencies (MFs). The fold induction of OMFs in the Hawk-Seq™ analysis of ENU- and MNU-exposed samples was at least 14.2 and 4.5, respectively, compared to 6.1 and 2.5 for gpt MFs. Meanwhile, the fold induction of OMFs in BP-exposed samples was ≤ 4.6, compared to 8.2 for gpt MFs. These observations suggest that Hawk-Seq™ demonstrates good concordance with the transgenic rodent (TGR) gene mutation assay, whereas the induction of mutation frequency by each mutagen might not directly correspond. Conclusions Hawk-Seq™-based whole-genome mutagenicity evaluation demonstrated high inter-laboratory reproducibility and concordance with gpt assay results. Our results contribute to the growing evidence that ecNGS assays provide a suitable, or improved, alternative to the TGR assay.