Tropical ecology articles from across Nature Portfolio

Tropical ecology is the study of all aspects of the ecology of tropical areas, which are those found approximately 23.5 degrees either side of the Equator. Notable tropical ecosystems include the rainforests of Amazonia, Africa and South East Asia, savannah grasslands and coral reefs.

Latest Research and Reviews

Research
01 June 2023 | Open Access

An integrative approach to understanding diversity patterns and assemblage rules in Neotropical bats
- María A. Hurtado-Materon
- & Oscar E. Murillo-García
Scientific Reports 13, 8891
Research
24 May 2023 | Open Access

Tree islands enhance biodiversity and functioning in oil palm landscapes

A large-scale, five-year study in Indonesia finds that enriching oil palm-dominated landscapes with patches of trees bolsters biodiversity and ecosystem functioning without impairing oil palm yields but should not replace forest protection.
- Delphine Clara Zemp
- , Nathaly Guerrero-Ramirez
- & Holger Kreft
Nature, 1-6
Research
13 May 2023 | Open Access

Provisioning ecotourism does not increase tiger shark site fidelity
- Clémentine Séguigne
- , Michel Bègue
- & Éric Clua
Scientific Reports 13, 7785
Research
10 May 2023 | Open Access

Climate change decouples dominant tree species in African savannas
- Fezile P. Mtsetfwa
- , Laurence Kruger
- & Robert A. McCleery
Scientific Reports 13, 7619
Research
26 April 2023 | Open Access

Basin-wide variation in tree hydraulic safety margins predicts the carbon balance of Amazon forests

A pan-Amazon study of forests shows large variations in drought tolerance traits and finds that forests in regions of pronounced climate change are losing biomass and may be operating beyond their hydraulic limits.
- Julia Valentim Tavares
- , Rafael S. Oliveira
- & David R. Galbraith
Nature 617, 111-117
Research
02 March 2023 | Open Access

Photodegradation of a bacterial pigment and resulting hydrogen peroxide release enable coral settlement
- Lars-Erik Petersen
- , Matthias Y. Kellermann
- & Peter J. Schupp
Scientific Reports 13, 3562

All Research & Reviews

News and Comment

Comments & Opinion | 25 May 2023

Kathy MacKinnon (1948–2023)

Determined and generous champion of protected-areas science and policy
- Madhu Rao
- , Stephen Woodley
- & Nigel Dudley
Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1-2
News & Views | 20 October 2022

A sustainable pathway to increase soybean production in Brazil

Acceleration of crop yield gains, coupled with parallel intensification of the livestock sector, would enable Brazil to increase current soybean production by 36% by 2035 without deforestation and with a notable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with following present trends.

Nature Sustainability 5, 1009-1010
News & Views | 30 June 2022

Mangrove forests are facing challenges from global seawater density changes

Climate change affects sea surface density via changes in the sea surface temperature and salinity. These projected sea surface density changes are likely to affect the dispersal patterns of widely distributed mangrove species and are expected to be largest in the Indo West Pacific, the primary hotspot of mangrove diversity.

Nature Climate Change 12, 626-627
Research Highlights | 08 June 2022

Carbon impacts
- Alyssa Findlay
Nature Climate Change 12, 504
Comments & Opinion | 03 February 2022

Thomas E. Lovejoy (1941–2021)

Biodiversity advocate and Amazon expert
- William F. Laurance
Nature Ecology & Evolution 6, 242-243
Correspondence | 09 December 2021

Pending bill could devastate Brazil’s Serra do Divisor National Park
- Renata Ruaro
- & William F. Laurance
Nature Ecology & Evolution 6, 120-121