Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colonies in off the western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) are undergoing changes in population size that have been correlated with climate-driven alteration of the marine and terrestrial environment. Climate-associated changes in the environment may affect chick growth processes which are important because large chicks are more likely to recruit to the breeding population and Adelie penguin population dynamics can correlate with fledging mass.

The metacommunity framework integrates species-specific responses to environmental gradients to detect emergent patterns of species organization. More specifically, a metacommunity is a set of ecological communities that are potentially linked by dispersal, with each community being a group of species at a particular site.

Hermatypic corals form the foundation of most coral reef ecosystems and provide critical habitat for hundreds of species of coral associated fishes. Recent decades have seen a decline in the abundance and areal cover of branching Acroporid corals along the north shore of Moorea, French Polynesia.

Some non-native invasive plant species are well suited for spread in forest-dominated landscapes and may pose a threat to forest communities. We determined the local and regional factors which the distribution of such species, in order to better understand the invasion process and to identify areas that are particularly susceptible to invasion. We conducted roadside surveys to determine the presence/absence and abundance of 15 non-native plant species known to invade forests in western North Carolina.

Viral-mediated cell lysis and microzooplankton grazing are both important sources of phytoplankton and bacteria mortality in the ocean, however, the magnitudes of these mortality sources are difficult to quantify. Using the modified (viral) dilution method, the effects of viral- and microzooplankton-mediated phytoplankton mortality can be examined simultaneously.

Herbivory plays a crucial role in structuring coral reef communities. A decrease in abundance of herbivores increases the probability of state shift from coral to algae domination. Although both fish and sea urchins are important herbivores, many tropical reef systems have suffered from over-harvesting of fishes and therefore, a more thorough understanding the effect of urchins on community structure is essential. This study examines how population dynamics of the urchin Diadema savignyi, affect the reef community of Moorea, French Polynesia. D.

Lakeshore residential development is associated with decreases in riparian zone vegetation and littoral zone structure, and increased angling effort. Depending upon the species and their associated body size, fishes may respond differently to these changes. Responses may be particularly difficult to predict for species that undergo marked changes in habitat use and diet over ontogeny, such as the popular sportfish largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides).

 The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a national-scale research platform for analyzing and understanding the impacts of climate change, land-use change, and invasive species on ecology. NEON features sensor networks and experiments, linked by advanced cyberinfrastructure to record and archive ecological data for at least 30 years. Using standardized protocols and an open data policy, NEON will gather essential data for developing the scientific understanding and theory required to manage ecological challenges.

Dispersal ability can affect the dynamics and composition of intertidal communities. Sandy beach ecosystems, where several key taxa have limited dispersal, are increasingly impacted by growing coastal development, and human use, while facing additional habitat loss and fragmentation from sea level rise. Implications of low dispersal rates for populations of key beach taxa, such as talitrid amphipods, include susceptibility to local extinctions and potentially lengthy recolonization times relative to lifespans/generation times.

This study was conducted as part of a larger effort to look at potential indirect effects of cleaner fish on coral reefs. Cleaners are likely to have indirect effects on the reefs they occupy because they attract and concentrate a wide variety of different client fish to their territories. While client fish visit cleaner stations in order to have ectoparasites removed by the cleaner, they are also involved in other activities (such as feeding) during their visits, and these activities can affect the fish, algae, corals, and other invertebrates that inhabit cleaner stations.