Plant facilitation and animal interaction research gaps

community ecology is dead

@cjlortie

long live network ecology

millions of plants are not necessarily a network

individuals counted are not necessarily interactions

examine one thing at a time

maybe two

ignore

ignore

ignore

ignore

habitat

resource

difficult to be an expert

pairwise contrasts

maybe two & sometimes iterative sets of two

two is not double the work

3

two

3

interaction set model

explore viability of this model

scientific synthesis is the integration of evidence

synthesis

counterweight to hyper-specialization

copes with data deluge

diversity promotes discovery

conceptualizes complexity

controlled vocabulary

data

combine & mine disparate datasets

develop novel insight tools

integrate theoreticians, practitioners, & modelers

link to education & application

scientific synthesis

what connects & what matters

synthesis tools

textbook examples

narrative reviews

vote counting

combining probabilities

systematic reviews

meta-analysis

narrative vote probability meta

study restriction no no no yes

statistical significance yes yes yes no

n & power no no yes yes

mean effect no no yes yes

magnitude of effect no no no yes

variation no no no yes

hypothesis or problem

set of studies

predictions or queries

research landscape = systematic review

evidence = meta-analysis

A systematic review attempts to identify, appraise and synthesize all the empirical evidence that meets pre-specified eligibility criteria to answer a given research

question. Researchers conducting systematic reviews use explicit methods aimed at minimizing bias, in order to

produce more reliable findings that can be used to inform decision making.

evidence = meta-analysis

A meta-analysis is a systematic review (to some extent)that includes strength of evidence.

- usually an effect size estimate.

e +

weighted difference of t - c

Rii = (t - c)/(t + c)

lnRR = natural log(t/c)

meta-analysis contrasts & combines evidence from different studies using effect size measures and appropriate statistics

first step is drawing the big picture of how facilitation in plants & animals connect

3

Alohomora

systematic review of plant facilitation complexes with animals

positive interactions globally

shrub-animal-plant & shrub-plant-animal

n = 77evidence map

consilience in form and function between plants and animals

shrub interactions with animals

direct 54% indirect 46%

3

examples of field approaches

Westphal, Bean, Butterfield, Michalet

shrub-animal-plant & shrub-plant-animal

Noble, Liczner, Butterfield

Liczner, Westphal

Westphal & Liczner

Ruttan

count & co-occurrence

alternative mechanisms - ecophysiology

coupler

mechanisms

indirect shrub effects on annuals

ecophysiology & mechanisms

direct microclimatic drivers

ecophysiology & mechanisms

direct microclimatic drivers

ecophysiology & mechanisms

ecophysiology & mechanisms

opportunities

extended phenotype

many outward products including animal artefacts

nested complexes of interactions

bidirectional plant-animal interactions

contrasted interaction strengths

management of high-stress ecosystemsneeds comprehensive estimates of community dynamics

novelty proposed is purely in leverage of both plant facilitation and established animal ecology

ecophysiology needed

ecoblender.org