The bright side of ecological stressors

Libin Zhou; Shaopeng Wang

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2023.01.010

The bright side of ecological stressors

Trends Ecol Evol. 2023 Jun;38(6):568-578. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.01.010. Epub 2023 Mar 9.

Authors

Libin Zhou¹, Shaopeng Wang²

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Ecology, Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, 100871 Beijing, China.
² Institute of Ecology, Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, 100871 Beijing, China. Electronic address: shaopeng.wang@pku.edu.cn.

PMID: 36906435
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.01.010

Abstract

Ecological stressors are considered to negatively affect biological systems; however, corresponding responses to stressors can be complex, depending on the ecological functions and the number and duration of the stressors. Mounting evidence indicates potential benefits of stressors. Here, we develop an integrative framework to understand stressor-induced benefits by clarifying three categories of mechanisms: seesaw effects, cross-tolerance, and memory effects. These mechanisms operate across various organizational levels (e.g., individual, population, community) and can be extended to an evolutionary context. One remaining challenge is to develop scaling approaches for linking stressor-induced benefits across organizational levels. Our framework provides a novel platform for predicting the consequences of global environmental changes and informing management strategies in conservation and restoration practices.

Keywords: cross-tolerance; memory effects; seesaw effects; stressor benefits.

Publication types

Review