The transcriptomes of the venom glands of 13 closely related species of vermivorous cones endemic to West Africa from genera Africonus and Varioconus were sequenced and venom repertoires compared within a phylogenetic framework. The total number of conotoxin precursors per species varied between 108 and 221. Individuals of the same species shared about one fourth of the total conotoxin precursors. The number of common sequences was drastically reduced in the pairwise comparisons between closely related...

1. Trophic relationships have inherent spatial dimensions associated with the sites where species interactions, or their delayed effects, occur. Trophic networks among interacting species may thus be coupled with spatial networks linking species and habitats whereby animals connect patches across the landscape thanks to their high mobility. This trophic and spatial duality is especially inherent in processes like seed dispersal by animals, where frugivores consume fruit species and deposit seeds across habitats. 2. We analysed...

Fine roots are a key component of carbon and nutrient dynamics in forest ecosystems. Rising atmospheric [CO2] (eCO2) is likely to alter the production and activity of fine roots, with important consequences for forest carbon storage. Yet empirical evidence of the role of eCO2 in driving root dynamics in low-nutrient forested ecosystems is limited, particularly for grassy woodlands, an ecosystem type of global importance. We sampled fine roots across seasons over a two-year period to...