Alexander Zizka

biomes: An R package for reproducible occurrence-to-biome classification using 31 global biome schemes

The paper introduces an R package that classifies occurrence records into 31 global biome schemes and ranks them based on data fit.

Chemodiversity defines a fundamental synecological dimension of plant form and function

The paper integrates chemodiversity of VOC profiles into plant trait spaces, showing it is independent of size/leaf economics but linked to biotic interactions in organ-specific ways.

How many bromeliads are there?

The paper estimates the expected number of Bromeliaceae species using logistic models and historical data, projecting 6,658 to 7,498 species with current descriptions covering only 55 to 49%.

Global convergence in wood evolution is driven by drought on continents and frost-free temperatures on islands

The paper shows that woodiness in angiosperms is more common on continents than islands, driven by drought and frost-free temperatures, with additional factors like precipitation seasonality and elevation.

Legacy of the lost and pressure of the present: Malagasy plant seeds retain megafauna dispersal signatures but downsize under human footprint

The paper tests how past megafaunal extinctions and human activity affect seed sizes of large-seeded plants in Madagascar, finding legacy effects of extinct megafauna and human-driven downsizing.

Nuclear phylogenomics of grasses (Poaceae) supports current classification and reveals repeated reticulation

This study constructs a nuclear phylogeny of grasses using genome-scale data, showing agreement with plastome phylogeny and evidence for repeated reticulation events.