Background Ecological processes such as seedling establishment, biotic interactions, and
mortality can leave footprints on species spatial structure that can be detectable through …

Namaqualand is a winter-rainfall desert of some 50 000 km 2, located in north-western
South Africa. For a desert ecosystem, the region is characterized by a unique selective …

Most ecologists are not card-carrying members of either individualistic or interdependent
guilds, but our perception of plant community organization, and the way we conduct …

With the advent of molecular phylogenies the assessment of community assembly
processes has become a central topic in community ecology. These processes have …

We describe a range of methods for the description and analysis of spatial point patterns in
plant ecology. The conceptual basis of the methods is presented, and specific tests are …

Summary 1 The relative contribution of positive and negative interactions to the organization
of ecological communities is an important area, though poorly understood because of the …

The Succulent Karoo Biome covers an interrupted belt of unequal depth spanning the
coastal regions near Lüderitz (Namibia), Namaqualand (on and west of the Escarpment), the …

Facilitation is a positive interaction assembling ecological communities and preserving
global biodiversity. Although communities acquire emerging properties when many species …

Abstract Sudden Oak Death is caused by a newly discovered virulent pathogen
(Phytophthora ramorum) that is killing thousands of native oak trees in California. We …

Climate change will exacerbate the degree of abiotic stress experienced by semi-arid
ecosystems. While abiotic stress profoundly affects biotic interactions, their potential role as …