Concepts

Taxa that are significantly associated with particular habitat conditions and can be used to assess ecosystem state or restoration success

Chemical cues released by predators that benefit prey by providing information about predator presence

Bacterial communities that colonize and live within floral nectar, potentially affecting nectar chemistry and pollinator behavior

The process by which parent birds maintain optimal temperature conditions for their nestlings through behavioral modifications including incubation, shading, and nest attendance patterns

The oxidation of ammonia to nitrate via nitrite, linking nitrogenous organic matter remineralization to nitrogen loss processes in the microbial N-cycle

A method to test for phylogenetic signal by comparing empirical data variance to variance from randomly reshuffled species identities across trait data sets

Mating system where males compete with one another over access to matelines consisting of groups of related females

The distribution of individuals across different size or age classes within a population

A within-individual process caused by deterioration in molecular and physiological function resulting in a decrease in survival probability and reproductive output with age

Chemical and physical breakdown of sedimentary shale rocks through interactions with water, atmospheric gases, and biological processes

Characterization of how snow properties vary across spatial scales using correlation lengths and variogram analysis

Future water flow estimates derived from climate model projections processed through hydrologic models

The movement of water from the soil to the plant's stomata which is then released into the atmosphere, serving as an indicator of plant water status

The difference between net radiation flux at the surface under all-sky and clear-sky conditions, accounting for both downwelling and upwelling radiation changes

Areas of disproportionately high biogeochemical activity or export relative to surrounding landscape

Morphological differences in the same species across different geographic regions

Non-invasive wildlife monitoring technique using motion-triggered cameras to detect and photograph animals

A gradual change in a trait across an environmental gradient, where width is expected to be proportional to dispersal distance divided by square root of difference in selection between ends of the cli...

Statistical measure of variation used to quantify family-guild variation and compare across different taxonomic groups

Differences in chromosome copy number among individuals, specifically diploid (two copies) versus triploid (three copies) chromosome sets

When previously adaptive traits become maladaptive due to rapid environmental change, such that organisms are attracted to resources that reduce their fitness

Distributions that provide fundamental insights on hydrological processes within watersheds by describing how long water spends underground

High fidelity remote sensing data collection using hyperspectral sensors to capture contiguous spectral bands for vegetation and surface characterization

Reduced fitness in inbred individuals compared to outbred individuals due to expression of deleterious recessive alleles

Competition where individuals attempt to take over established breeding resources from other pairs

The relative proportions of essential macronutrients (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates) in pollen samples

Acoustic phenomena including subharmonics, biphonation, deterministic chaos, and warbles that occur when vocal production apparatus loses control

Transparent chambers commonly used in climate change experiments to raise air and soil temperature in remote areas by creating a passive warming effect

Nutritional and defensive characteristics of plants that affect herbivore performance, including water content and nutrient ratios

Temporary pond hydroperiod reduction that triggers behavioral and physiological responses in aquatic organisms

The measure of seed quality based on embryonic development and potential for successful germination

Division of labor in social insects with distinct morphological and behavioral castes including queens, workers, and males

Territorial behavior including alarm and warning calls to protect midden from squirrels and other mammals, with territories ranging from 0.5 to 1 hectares defended through vocalizations and chasing