Tina Heger

As human-driven climate change and other anthropogenic forces produce widespread impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, many ecosystems are shifting into unprecedented, novel states. The Novel Ecosystem Concept (NEC), formalized in 2006, was developed as an alternative framework for managing “novel ecosystems”, human-altered systems that are challenging to restore to their historical state. In the years since, the NEC has been proposed as a broader lens for ecosystem management under ongoing global change. We evaluated how the uptake and potential of the NEC have been realized over time using a bibliometric and linguistic toolkit. Using bibliometric data from the Web of Science, we clustered 40,914 applied ecology papers published between 2006 and 2025 into twenty research topics based on language use. We quantified the volume of NEC research within each topic, rates of publication over time, and cross-topic connectivity proxied by citations. We found NEC research in most of the topics of applied ecology, particularly invasion biology, ecosystem services, soil research and studies of freshwater, urban and marine systems. In contrast, several major conservation-focused topics, including protected areas, threatened species, and human–wildlife interactions, contained little research with an explicit link to novel ecosystems. Publication rates increased across all topics, although growth slowed over time. At the same time, NEC research became more focused into ecosystem-specific topics, especially marine ecosystems. NEC research across different topics was well-connected by citations, with papers more likely to cite each other when they used similar language. Overall, the NEC does not appear to have expanded beyond its origins in restoration to become a broadly applied framework across conservation and ecosystem management. Instead, the concepts behind the NEC have been integrated into restoration and management frameworks grappling with climate and other anthropogenic change, while “novelty” is emerging as a powerful quantitative variable for measuring ecological change over space and time. Our results highlight the potential value of bibliometric and linguistic tools to deconstruct the ecological literature to inform what we can, or should, do to intervene for benefit of nature and people.

Biotic resistance, the reduction in invasion success caused by native communities, plays an important role in the long-term dynamics of biological invasions. A large body of empirical research on biotic resistance has accumulated since the last comprehensive review on the subject 20 years ago, enabling us to achieve a refined understanding of biotic resistance and its dynamics. Here, we aim to reshape research on biotic resistance to alien plant invasions by: synthesizing existing evidence on biotic resistance and exploring the so far rarely considered interplay between biotic resistance mechanisms (i.e. competition, aboveground and belowground antagonisms, and diversity-invasibility effects) and the potential eco-evolutionary changes in biotic resistance over time. synthesizing existing evidence on biotic resistance and exploring the so far rarely considered interplay between biotic resistance mechanisms (i.e. competition, aboveground and belowground antagonisms, and diversity-invasibility effects) and the potential eco-evolutionary changes in biotic resistance over time. To address the first aspect, we conducted a global meta-analysis of 240 experimental studies to assess the mechanisms by which and the extent to which biotic resistance of native communities affects the performance of alien plant species. We show that competition with native plant species, aboveground antagonism (e.g. herbivores) and diversity-invasibility effects significantly reduced alien plant performance, whereas there was no evidence for consistent effects of belowground antagonism (e.g. soil pathogens). Competition exerted the strongest biotic resistance, followed by aboveground antagonism. However, the strength of biotic resistance also depended on the alien plant performance measure considered (vegetative performance, survival, reproductive performance, or population growth). From the small set of studies that considered more than one biotic resistance mechanism, we did not detect an overall synergistic effect of combined mechanisms. The meta-analysis results also revealed that biotic resistance first decreased with the residence time of the alien plant species but increased again after approximately 200 years. In a subset of studies directly comparing species of different origin, we did not detect a difference in biotic resistance to alien vs. native species. To address the second aspect, we expanded the limited empirical evidence on temporal dynamics by presenting a conceptual causal network and an accompanying mathematical model to explore the eco-evolutionary dynamics of biotic resistance mechanisms. Our conceptual and mathematical models highlight that biotic resistance is determined by both the attributes of the alien species (i.e. invasiveness) and of the recipient community (i.e. invasibility). Both factors can change over time as inter- and/or intraspecific selection cause changes in the composition and overall density of the native community and the alien species. As invaders evolve and the successful ones persist, biotic resistance initially decreases, then increases again due to intra- and interspecific adaptation of the native community. Using the findings from the comprehensive synthesis of empirical studies and our modelling approach, we highlight research avenues to better understand the temporal dynamics of biotic resistance to plant invasions, including how biotic resistance depends on multiple mechanisms and performance measures, how it may differently affect alien vs. native species and crucially, how it changes over time (Sheppard et al. 2026).

We live in times of crises and calls for a transformative social‐ecological change are voiced increasingly often. The question is, however, how such a transformation could be achieved. The prevailing view is that we are living in an era in which human activities significantly altered planet Earth: the Anthropocene. According to this narrative, humans are a very powerful force, turning the global situation for the worse. It has been argued that this view can cause disillusion and frustration, thus hampering the willingness to change the situation. With this conceptual perspective piece, we explore the potential of the concept of a Symbiocene as a transformation vision able to stimulate action. At the core of the concept, we see a call for renewed human–nature relationships, and we discuss how current changes in the conception of nature, humans and their relationships can be utilized as scaffoldings for the conception of a Symbiocene. We explore how to move from an economy‐centred thinking with degenerative environmental effects to a planet‐centred thinking with regenerative effects, and suggest that sensory‐triggered experiences, induced by interactions with nature and arts, are key for achieving this transition. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Biotic resistance, the reduction in invasion success caused by native communities, plays an important role in the long‐term dynamics of biological invasions. A large body of empirical research on biotic resistance has accumulated since the last comprehensive review on the subject 20 years ago, enabling us to achieve a refined understanding of biotic resistance and its dynamics. Here, we aim to reshape research on biotic resistance to alien plant invasions by ( i ) synthesizing existing evidence on biotic resistance and ( ii ) exploring the so far rarely considered interplay between biotic resistance mechanisms (i.e. competition, aboveground and belowground antagonisms, and diversity–invasibility effects) and the potential eco‐evolutionary changes in biotic resistance over time. To address the first aspect, we conducted a global meta‐analysis of 240 experimental studies to assess the mechanisms by which and the extent to which biotic resistance of native communities affects the performance of alien plant species. We show that competition with native plant species, aboveground antagonism (e.g. herbivores) and diversity–invasibility effects significantly reduced alien plant performance, whereas there was no evidence for consistent effects of belowground antagonism (e.g. soil pathogens). Competition exerted the strongest biotic resistance, followed by aboveground antagonism. However, the strength of biotic resistance also depended on the alien plant performance measure considered (vegetative performance, survival, reproductive performance, or population growth). From the small set of studies that considered more than one biotic resistance mechanism, we did not detect an overall synergistic effect of combined mechanisms. The meta‐analysis results also revealed that biotic resistance first decreased with the residence time of the alien plant species but increased again after approximately 200 years. In a subset of studies directly comparing species of different origin, we did not detect a difference in biotic resistance to alien versus native species. To address the second aspect, we expanded the limited empirical evidence on temporal dynamics by presenting a conceptual causal network and an accompanying mathematical model to explore the eco‐evolutionary dynamics of biotic resistance mechanisms. Our conceptual and mathematical models highlight that biotic resistance is determined by both the attributes of the alien species (i.e. invasiveness) and of the recipient community (i.e. invasibility). Both factors can change over time as inter‐ and/or intraspecific selection cause changes in the composition and overall density of the native community and the alien species. As invaders evolve and the successful ones persist, biotic resistance initially decreases, then increases again due to intra‐ and interspecific adaptation of the native community. Using the findings from the comprehensive synthesis of empirical studies and our modelling approach, we highlight research avenues to better understand the temporal dynamics of biotic resistance to plant invasions, including how biotic resistance depends on multiple mechanisms and performance measures, how it may differently affect alien versus native species and crucially, how it changes over time.

Water is vital for life on Earth, but aquatic environments worldwide are facing critical challenges that cause severe problems for biodiversity and human well-being. These challenges include, for example, water pollution, habitat degradation, escalating water and air temperatures, salinisation of freshwaters, ocean acidification and invasive species. Since these stressors interact in complex ways, developing predictions and mitigation measures is difficult. Mesocosm experiments, offering controlled, yet realistic settings, are crucial for understanding and mitigating the impact of various stressors and their combinations on aquatic ecosystems. Mesocom facilities are key Research Infrastructures (RI), as they bridge the gap between laboratory experiments and natural systems allowing studies of highly complex environments comparable to natural ecosystems, while still offering controlled and replicated settings not available in natural systems. The AQUACOSM-RI consortium, comprising over 60 individual state-of-the-art mesocosm facilities at 28 host institutions across Europe, has therefore been instrumental in advancing aquatic environmental research across climate zones including marine, brackish and freshwater ecosystems. In addition, the EU H2020-INFRAIA projects AQUACOSM (CORDIS No. 731065) and AQUACOSM-plus (CORDIS No. 871081, www.aquacosm.eu) have developed a virtual network beyond Europe of presently > 85 host institutions with > 120 aquatic mesocosm facilities around the world, www.mesocosm.org. However, the rich, yet disconnected resources in aquatic mesocosm-based experimental research and mitigation approaches need to be combined in a modern, visible and accessible way. The project AQUANAVI (Navigating Grand Challenges and their Mitigation using Aquatic Experimental RIs) aims to enhance existing efforts by creating an interactive atlas of aquatic mesocosm facilities and related mesocosm-based experimental research. Integrating data, publications, reports and information on mesocosm facility capacities generated by the AQUACOSM consortium and other mesocosm facilities in Europe and beyond, AQUANAVI will facilitate fast discovery of resources and unused potentials of available mesocosm facilities in a modern, visible and accessible way that is presently not available. Such a multidimensional tool is expected to enable novel collaborations and a much faster setup and execution of connected and/or distributed experiments and efficient development of environmental mitigation strategies. Built upon the AQUACOSM-RIs and their encompassing data and information repository as well as scientific and technical competence, while also leveraging related infrastructures like AnaEE, EMBRC, JERICO-RI and eLTER, AQUANAVI will provide a comprehensive resource platform to more effectively explore available resources for aquatic experimental research. AQUANAVI will bridge this wealth of scientific data, expertise and mesocosm facility information through Hi Knowledge, an innovative analysis and visualisation platform that merges Wikidata, Open Knowledge Maps,and Scholia. Hi Knowledge harnesses the semantic capabilities of Wikidata to rapidly construct a FAIR and open corpus for a domain, based on a sophisticated conceptual classification system. Subsequently, Hi Knowledge incorporates visualisation components from Open Knowledge Maps and Scholia, allowing researchers to smoothly navigate information using cutting-edge visualisation techniques, artificial intelligence and knowledge synthesis methods. Open and collaborative by design, AQUANAVI’s architecture will engage a broad range of research communities. By consolidating data and information from diverse RIs, the platform will leverage and enhance the AQUACOSM and related research infrastructures, securing the reusability and interoperability of existing data collections and better exploration of existing RIs in the future. Compliant with FAIR principles and EOSC requirements, AQUANAVI will ensure the long-term sustainability and openness of its resources, enriching both the ENVRI services portfolio and the broader scientific community. In summary, AQUANAVI will empower researchers and stakeholders to implement measures to mitigate the effects of climate change and other Grand Challenges facing aquatic environments, serving as a key resource within and beyond the European research area.

This paper presents outcomes from the inaugural "EcoHack: AI & LLM Hackathon for Applications in Evidence-based Ecological Research & Practice," which convened participants from across Europe and beyond, culminating in 11 team submissions. These submissions highlighted six broad application areas of AI for ecology: (1) AI-enhanced decision support and automation, (2) scientific search and communication, (3) knowledge extraction and reasoning, (4) AI for ecological modeling, forecasting, and simulation, (5) causal inference and ecological reasoning, and (6) AI for biodiversity monitoring and conservation. Each team’s project is summarized in a consolidated table—complete with links to source code—and described in brief papers in the appendix. Beyond summarizing technical results, this paper offers insights into the hackathon’s hybrid structure, featuring an in-person gathering in Bielefeld, Germany, alongside a global online hub that facilitated both local and virtual engagement. Throughout the event, participants showcased how large language models (LLMs) can serve as both robust tools for diverse machine learning tasks and flexible platforms for rapidly prototyping novel research applications. These efforts underscore the importance of stronger technological bridges among stakeholders in ecology, including practitioners, local farmers, and policymakers. Overall, the EcoHack outcomes highlight the transformative potential of AI in driving scientific discovery and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in ecology.