Patrick Weigelt

Aug 22, 2024 | nature.com | Lizzie Roeble |Patrick Weigelt |Holger Kreft |Matthew L. Knope |Jennifer R. Mandel |Rampal Etienne

AbstractThe megadiverse plant family Asteraceae forms an iconic component of island floras including many spectacular radiations, but a global picture of its insular diversity is lacking. Here, we uncover the global biogeographical and evolutionary patterns of Asteraceae on islands to reveal the magnitude and potential causes of their evolutionary success.

Jul 12, 2023 | nature.com | Holger Kreft |Patrick Weigelt |Sandra Díaz |José María Fernández-Palacios

AbstractOceanic island floras are well known for their morphological peculiarities and exhibit striking examples of trait evolution1,2,3. These morphological shifts are commonly attributed to insularity and are thought to be shaped by the biogeographical processes and evolutionary histories of oceanic islands2,4. However, the mechanisms through which biogeography and evolution have shaped the distribution and diversity of plant functional traits remain unclear5.

Apr 12, 2023 | nature.com | Bernd Lenzner |Tim Blackburn |Phillip Cassey |Wayne Dawson |Ellie E. Dyer |Holger Kreft | +8 more

AbstractWhile the regional distribution of non-native species is increasingly well documented for some taxa, global analyses of non-native species in local assemblages are still missing. Here, we use a worldwide collection of assemblages from five taxa - ants, birds, mammals, spiders and vascular plants - to assess whether the incidence, frequency and proportions of naturalised non-native species depend on type and intensity of land use.