Significance of vertical transmission of arboviruses in mosquito-borne disease epidemiology Oliver Chinonso Mbaoma, Stephanie Margarete Thomas, Carl Beierkuhnlein Parasites and Vectors, 2025 Mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) are increasingly prevalent as a result of global change, with significant health and economic impacts worldwide. Dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), Zika virus (ZIKV), yellow fever virus (YFV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) transmitted by Aedes and Culex species have been identified as arboviruses of public health interest. Vertical transmission (VT) which refers to a process where infected mosquitoes transmit viruses to their offsprings have been often overlooked in MBD epidemiology. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the role of VT in the occurrence, prevenance and spread of MBDs, focusing on study types, mosquito species and virus genera. 175 studies selected from 837 studies between 1950 and 2024 relating to VT in mosquito population were reviewed. Findings revealed that VT occur across multiple mosquito species in natural and experimental settings, with significant variation in VT rates, depending on vector species, virus genus, and study location. Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Ae. vexans, Cx.pipiens, Cx. tarsalis and Cx. quinquefasciatus were identified as mosquito species that support VT while pathogens identified to be transmitted vertically were DENV, ZIKV, WNV, CHIKV, YFV, Sindbis virus (SINV), Ross River virus (RRV) and Mayaro virus (MAYV). VT rates reported as minimum infection rate (MIR) varied across mosquito species, study type and location. It was also reported that high VT rate may precede mosquito-borne disease outbreak. These findings indicate that VT, though often overlooked, contributes to the dynamics of MBD transmission and could influence disease outbreaks and endemism, especially under changing climatic conditions. These findings also highlight the need to incorporate VT into mathematical models, experimental studies and control strategies, given its potential role in sustaining arbovirus transmission and influencing outbreak dynamics. Graphical abstract
Testing of Drivers for Plant Species Diversity Along Elevational Gradients on Seven Mountainous Islands in the Subtropics Ole R. Vetaas, Manuel J. Steinbauer, Carl Beierkuhnlein, Benjamin Robson, Richard Field, et al. Journal of Vegetation Science, 2025 AimsGeographic variation in species richness along elevational and latitudinal gradients may be controlled by energy, water, and productivity; however, spatial factors such as area and geometric constraints may also contribute. We use large mountainous oceanic islands, which exhibit considerable range in all proposed driver variables, to test established plant diversity models, such as the mid‐domain effect (MDE), actual evapotranspiration (AET, energy), water–energy dynamics (WED: precipitation + potential evapotranspiration), and net primary production (NPP).LocationWe used published data comprising complete floras with elevation‐specific occurrence information for seven mountainous oceanic islands (> 2000 m asl) in tropical and subtropical zones.MethodsFor each of the seven islands, plant richness was estimated within each 100 m elevation band (interpolated from maximum and minimum elevation). We used generalized linear models to evaluate the effects of area, MDE, AET, NPP (MODIS), and WED on each island and all islands simultaneously. The general WED model used in this study is a two‐term model that includes a second‐order polynomial function of PET and a linear function of precipitation. We use AIC and the proportion of explained deviance to identify the best model for explaining variation in plant richness along elevational gradients on mountainous islands.ResultsWe found remarkably consistent patterns in which AET and MDE failed to offer a good explanation for species richness. WED was the best model when all islands were analyzed simultaneously; however, analyses on separate islands revealed that the precipitation term was not significant or negatively related to richness on five of the seven islands. The second‐best model was NPP, whereas the best single predictor of richness was the polynomial expression of PET. The spatial variables, area, and the autocorrelated masl were strongly correlated with the residuals of the weak models.ConclusionsBased on these observations, WED and NPP are superior in explaining richness on mountainous islands, whereas MDE and AET have low explanatory power. Precipitation has a negative correlation with species richness in five out of seven islands.
EVALUATING REMOTE SENSING DATA AS A TOOL TO MINIMIZE SPATIAL AUTOCORRELATION IN IN-SITU VEGETATION SAMPLING Esther Baumann, Carl Beierkuhnlein, Anna Preitauer, Katrin Schmid, Michael Rudner Erdkunde, 2025 The distinction between geographical patterns caused by underlying environmental factors and inherent spatial autocorrelation is a general challenge for field research. The quality and validity of phytogeographical studies is strongly dependent on disentangling spatial and ecological proximity. This is also crucial for applied studies in nature conservation. One key assumption for many statistical analyses is the independence of observations. In this study we first identify the range of spatial autocorrelation in managed grasslands based on field data. Along a gradient in a valley bottom, we set up five 60 m x 60 m squares, segmented in 36 10 m x 10 m square grid cells. In 20 of the 10 m x 10 m grid cells, we sampled vegetation along a 10 m line with a buffer of one meter resulting in a 20 m² sampling plot. In a second step, we matched Sentinel-2 images for the same locations and calculated the normalized difference vegetation index NDVI and the normalized difference red edge index NDRE. For both, field data and satellite data, Mantel correlograms for floristic distances and spectral indices were used to analyse the spatial autocorrelation. We found the vegetation in the studied grasslands to be spatially correlated up to 25 m. At none of the studied sites the positive spatial autocorrelation reaches beyond. The spatial autocorrelation of spectral indices correlates well with the correlations observed field data. The correlograms of NDVI resembled the ones of the field data slightly better compared to the correlograms of NDRE and RGB. We conclude that employing remote sensing to assess the role of spatial autocorrelation for grasslands is a valid approach. We show that it reflects similar patterns as the field data. The spatial resolution of freely available satellite data proved sufficient to test for the minimum distance between vegetation samples to avoid spatial autocorrelation.
Seed Bank and Ashfalls: The Ecological Resetting Effect of the Recent Tajogaite Volcano Eruption in the Canary Pine Forest (La Palma, Spain) Félix Manuel Medina, María Guerrero‐Campos, Guillermo Hernández Martín, Thomas Boulesteix, Frank Weiser, et al. Journal of Vegetation Science, 2025 Question Tephra deposition is one of the most critical sudden alterations caused by volcanic eruptions in ecosystems. Tephra accumulation on the ground decreases with distance from the crater. The effect of ash deposition on the seed bank and its subsequent germination success has previously been studied by removing the tephra from the soil. However, conducting controlled experiments on the effect of tephra thickness on the seed bank and its seedling emergence capacity is a new approach to tackle and quantify recruitment mechanisms. Here, we present the first experimental study of the impact of tephra layer thickness on the seed bank combined with field surveys on seedling emergence. Location Tajogaite volcano, Cumbre Vieja Ridge, La Palma, Canary Islands. Methods The study includes a controlled experiment and a field survey along a gradient from the volcano crater to the perimeter within the Canary Island's pine forest. In the experiment, six tephra thickness categories were used to bury seeds (1, 5, 10, 45, 75 and 150 cm) based on observatory evidence corresponding to the distance away from the crater (7, 4, 2, 1.5, 0.75 and 0.15 km, respectively). Seeds were collected from the four most characteristic endemic pine forest species, representing different seed sizes and growth forms: Pinus canariensis (Pinaceae, tree), Chamaecytisus proliferus (Fabaceae, shrub), Lotus campylocladus (Fabaceae, forb) and Cistus symphytifolius (Cystaceae, shrub). One hundred seeds of each species were used per treatment (2800 seeds). In the field survey, we randomly established six quadrats (30 × 30 m) at the same distance from the crater as indicated above. Seedlings (< 5 cm in height) from natural regeneration were counted every three months. Results After 18 months under ash, germination in the experiment was only detected in the treatments of control (germination rate of P. canariensis = 71%, Ch. proliferus = 13%, L. campylocladus = 24%, C. symphytifolius = 1%), and at 1 cm (51%, 18%, 11%, 1%) and 5 cm (5%, 4%, 0%, 0%) of ash depth. Conclusions The massive ashfall during this eruption completely and suddenly dysfunctionalized the seed bank as a reservoir of recruitment in areas within a radius of approximately 5 km from the crater (still buried under a 5 cm thick ash layer to date). Therefore, we provide evidence for the hypothesis that the recent volcanic eruption will profoundly change plant community dynamics and composition within large areas of the Canary Island's pine forest.
The Spectral Species Concept in Living Color Duccio Rocchini, Maria J. Santos, Susan L. Ustin, Jean‐Baptiste Féret, Gregory P. Asner, et al. Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences, 2022
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Potential effects of climate change on the coherence of protection area networks - concept for the natura 2000 network in Germany Naturschutz Und Landschaftsplanung, 2012
Systematic assessment of forest cover change and forest fragmentation in Indian sub-continent using multi-scale satellite remote sensing inputs Geoinformatics for Natural Resource Management, 2009
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Disturbance for biodiversity? - Effects on competition, rhythm and inertia in ecological systems Verhandlungen Der Gesellschaft Fur Okologie, 2001
The biodiversity and ecosystem functions in grassland - Research in outdoor and laboratory conditions Verhandlungen Der Gesellschaft Fur Okologie, 2001
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RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Spatiotemporally Explicit Epidemic Model for West Nile Virus Outbreak in Germany: An Inversely Calibrated Approach (vol 14, pg 1052, 2024) OC Mbaoma, SM Thomas, C Beierkuhnlein JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND GLOBAL HEALTH 16 (1) , 2026 2026
Correction: Spatiotemporally Explicit Epidemic Model for West Nile Virus Outbreak in Germany: An Inversely Calibrated Approach OC Mbaoma, SM Thomas, C Beierkuhnlein Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health 16 (1), 23 , 2026 2026
Volcanic deposits select for woodiness on islands S Biedermann, F Lens, N Nürk, C Beierkuhnlein EcoEvoRxiv , 2026 2026
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Rediscovering lost Cenozoic tree diversity in Western and Central Europe V Wilkens, A Walentowitz, S Teichert, L Hülsmann, N Nürk, OR Vetaas, ... EcoEvoRxiv , 2025 2025
Testing of Drivers for Plant Species Diversity Along Elevational Gradients on Seven Mountainous Islands in the Subtropics OR Vetaas, MJ Steinbauer, C Beierkuhnlein, B Robson, R Field, SDH Irl, ... Journal of Vegetation Science 36 (4), e70053 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Correction: Significance of vertical transmission of arboviruses in mosquito-borne disease epidemiology OC Mbaoma, SM Thomas, C Beierkuhnlein Parasites & Vectors 18, 226 , 2025 2025
Transforming agriculture with vermicompost: 7-year empirical evidence from drought-prone and salinization-affected regions of Bangladesh ML Hossain, KJ Shapna, J Li, MH Kabir, F Siddika, S Khandker, ... Journal of Cleaner Production 508, 145595 , 2025 2025 Citations: 26
Seed bank and ashfalls: the ecological resetting effect of the recent Tajogaite volcano eruption in the Canary pine forest (La Palma, Spain) FM Medina, M Guerrero‐Campos, G Hernández Martín, T Boulesteix, ... Journal of Vegetation Science 36 (3), e70045 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
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Ecological resilience and biodiversity dynamics of an island forest following a volcanic eruption MG Campos, P Marrero, FM Medina, RG Becerra, JC Miranda, S Fajardo, ... Cosmológica, 505-507 , 2025 2025
The fate of terrestrial biodiversity during an oceanic island volcanic eruption MN Hidalgo, MG Campos, T Boulesteix, N Taquet, C Beierkuhnlein, ... Cosmológica, 489-491 , 2025 2025
Evaluating remote sensing data as a tool to minimize spatial autocorrelation in in-situ vegetation sampling E Baumann, C Beierkuhnlein, A Preitauer, K Schmid, M Rudner Erdkunde, 25-40 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Synthesis and perspectives on disturbance interactions, and forest fire risk and fire severity in Central Europe L Leonardos, A Gnilke, TGM Sanders, C Shatto, C Stadelmann, ... Fire 7 (12), 470 , 2024 2024 Citations: 9
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Plant diversity and productivity experiments in European grasslands A Hector, B Schmid, C Beierkuhnlein, MC Caldeira, M Diemer, ... science 286 (5442), 1123-1127 , 1999 1999 Citations: 2752
TRY plant trait database–enhanced coverage and open access J Kattge, G Bönisch, S Díaz, S Lavorel, IC Prentice, P Leadley, ... Global change biology 26 (1), 119-188 , 2020 2020 Citations: 2214
Biodiversity increases the resistance of ecosystem productivity to climate extremes F Isbell, D Craven, J Connolly, M Loreau, B Schmid, C Beierkuhnlein, ... Nature 526 (7574), 574-577 , 2015 2015 Citations: 2129
World scientists’ warning to humanity: a second notice WJ Ripple, C Wolf, TM Newsome, M Galetti, M Alamgir, E Crist, ... BioScience 67 (12), 1026-1028 , 2017 2017 Citations: 1618
A new generation of climate‐change experiments: events, not trends A Jentsch, J Kreyling, C Beierkuhnlein Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 5 (7), 365-374 , 2007 2007 Citations: 1512
A first assessment of the impact of the extreme 2018 summer drought on Central European forests B Schuldt, A Buras, M Arend, Y Vitasse, C Beierkuhnlein, A Damm, ... Basic and Applied Ecology 45, 86-103 , 2020 2020 Citations: 1096
Multiple facets of biodiversity drive the diversity–stability relationship D Craven, N Eisenhauer, WD Pearse, Y Hautier, F Isbell, C Roscher, ... Nature ecology & evolution 2 (10), 1579-1587 , 2018 2018 Citations: 676
Precipitation manipulation experiments–challenges and recommendations for the future C Beier, C Beierkuhnlein, T Wohlgemuth, J Penuelas, B Emmett, C Körner, ... Ecology letters 15 (8), 899-911 , 2012 2012 Citations: 669
Ecosystem effects of biodiversity manipulations in European grasslands EM Spehn, A Hector, J Joshi, M Scherer-Lorenzen, B Schmid, ... Ecological monographs 75 (1), 37-63 , 2005 2005 Citations: 597
Research frontiers in climate change: effects of extreme meteorological events on ecosystems A Jentsch, C Beierkuhnlein Comptes Rendus Geoscience 340 (9-10), 621-628 , 2008 2008 Citations: 558
Worldwide evidence of a unimodal relationship between productivity and plant species richness LH Fraser, J Pither, A Jentsch, M Sternberg, M Zobel, D Askarizadeh, ... Science 349 (6245), 302-305 , 2015 2015 Citations: 541
Topography‐driven isolation, speciation and a global increase of endemism with elevation MJ Steinbauer, R Field, JA Grytnes, P Trigas, C Ah‐Peng, F Attorre, ... Global Ecology and Biogeography 25 (9), 1097-1107 , 2016 2016 Citations: 464
Ecological stress memory and cross stress tolerance in plants in the face of climate extremes J Walter, A Jentsch, C Beierkuhnlein, J Kreyling Environmental and Experimental Botany 94, 3-8 , 2013 2013 Citations: 457
Do plants remember drought? Hints towards a drought-memory in grasses J Walter, L Nagy, R Hein, U Rascher, C Beierkuhnlein, E Willner, ... Environmental and Experimental Botany 71 (1), 34-40 , 2011 2011 Citations: 409
Climate extremes initiate ecosystem‐regulating functions while maintaining productivity A Jentsch, J Kreyling, M Elmer, E Gellesch, B Glaser, K Grant, R Hein, ... Journal of ecology 99 (3), 689-702 , 2011 2011 Citations: 397
Coordinated distributed experiments: an emerging tool for testing global hypotheses in ecology and environmental science LH Fraser, HAL Henry, CN Carlyle, SR White, C Beierkuhnlein, ... Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 11 (3), 147-155 , 2013 2013 Citations: 376
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Plant diversity effects on grassland productivity are robust to both nutrient enrichment and drought D Craven, F Isbell, P Manning, J Connolly, H Bruelheide, A Ebeling, ... Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 371 … , 2016 2016 Citations: 305
Effects of extreme drought on specific leaf area of grassland species: A meta‐analysis of experimental studies in temperate and sub‐Mediterranean systems C Wellstein, P Poschlod, A Gohlke, S Chelli, G Campetella, S Rosbakh, ... Global Change Biology 23 (6), 2473-2481 , 2017 2017 Citations: 290