Articles tagged with Evolutionary Ecology
Researchers at the University of Tennessee are investigating the movement of amphibian pathogens in wildlife trade networks, with a focus on disease mitigation strategies. The project aims to understand how socio-economic factors impact pathogen dynamics and develop market-based mechanisms to promote healthy trade.
A study found that brain fog-like impairment is a problem in many animal species due to infection and disease, including humans. Cognitive impairments have been observed in birds, bees, rats, and other species, with various causes such as parasite damage, immune response, and malnutrition.
A new study challenges a popular scenario explaining the origin of eukaryotes, suggesting that cells can grow to considerable volume without acquiring mitochondria. Researchers explore energy requirements and genome arrangement in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, revealing overlap between cell types rather than a hard boundary line.
A recent study has revealed that the great current diversity of eukaryotes is largely due to the large number of habitat transitions between sea and land over millions of years. Microbial eukaryotes have made hundreds of leaps from one habitat to another, allowing them to occupy vacant ecological niches.
A team of UNLV-led researchers questions the hypothesis that modern humans experienced an evolutionary decrease in brain size during the transition to complex societies. They analyzed a dataset of early human fossil and museum specimens, finding no reduction in brain size over 30,000 years.
A recent study by McGill University researchers found that birds with higher numbers of neurons in the pallium, a brain region involved in memory and learning, are also more innovative. Longer development times in the nest may play a crucial role in the evolution of intelligence.
Researchers found that Gursky's spectral tarsier duets exhibit acoustic trade-offs in note rate and bandwidth, suggesting a relationship between physical fitness and vocal complexity. The study suggests that only physically fit individuals can easily produce broadband notes fast.
Researchers discovered the earliest direct evidence of brood care among insects in the Middle-Late Jurassic Daohugou Biota. Fossils of a water boatman insect showed it carrying a cluster of eggs on its left mesotibia, providing protection from predation and environmental risks.
Scientists discovered that ancient eelgrass migration and Pleistocene ice ages left lasting signatures in their DNA, impacting size, structure, and community composition. Genetic legacy played a stronger role than the present-day environment in determining these traits.
A dramatic decline in wild bees' pollination services was observed at fruit farms in New Jersey and Pennsylvania over an 8-year period. The rate of visitation by bees decreased more than half between 2005 and 2012, with similar declines for other types of wild bees.
A new study reveals that reef fish diversity is driven by a recent innovation among bony fish – feeding by biting prey from surfaces. This feeding method allowed fish to access diverse new prey, promoting the evolution of a wide variety of body shapes and a high rate of diversification.
Research suggests that restoring areas with corals adapted to warmer temperatures is ineffective at helping corals survive climate change. Selectively breeding corals to be more heat tolerant only benefits large-scale efforts over centuries.
Researchers discovered that rattlesnakes' venom evolves through balancing selection, favoring genetic diversity and a diverse set of tools to subdue prey. This finding has implications for developing anti-venom therapeutics to better treat snakebites globally.
A global survey of biodiversity experts finds that more species are threatened with extinction than previously thought, with estimates suggesting 30% of species have been lost since 1500. The study identifies climate change, pollution, and land-use changes as key drivers of biodiversity loss.
A unique fungus infects common houseflies, causing them to become necrophilic and mate with infected female corpses. The longer the corpse remains dead, the more attractive it becomes to male flies, allowing the fungus to spread its spores.
Researchers found that 58.4% of humpback whales in the New York Bight Apex stayed more than one day and returned within or between years. The average length of stay was 37.6 days.
Researchers found that socially isolated bumblebees exhibited an increase in affiliative behavior, unlike expected aggression. The brain development of isolated bees showed similarities with group-reared bees, suggesting controlled chaos in the absence of social environment.
Researchers explored the coevolution of mammals and their lice, revealing that a major group of mammalian lice originated on Afrotheria, an African lineage of mammals. The study suggests that lice first parasitized birds before jumping to mammals, with host-switching occurring rarely.
A new study reveals that bottom burrowing animals were among the first to recover after the end-Permian mass extinction. The research, led by Dr. Xueqian Feng, used ancient sea bed burrows and trails to reconstruct the recovery stages of various animal groups.
Researchers discovered a bacterial enzyme that enabled the evolution of longhorned beetles to break down complex plant cell wall components. The study found that gene duplication played a key role in increasing the diversity and specificity of these enzymes.
A team of ecologists from CU museum identified over 7,000 organisms, mostly bacteria, in the guts of Rocky Mountain snails collected between 1920 and 2018. The findings show that microbiomes can offer insights into how animals interacted with their environments centuries ago.
Researchers at the University of Bonn present a mobile sensor system called forceX to measure insect bite forces, allowing them to understand how these forces evolved. The system achieves high accuracy, with a deviation of only 2.2 percent between measurements.
Megalodon and its ancestors were at the highest trophic level in prehistoric marine food webs, consuming other predators and large prey. The team measured nitrogen isotopes in shark teeth to determine their trophic levels, revealing a complex food web with multiple apex predators.
Research on wild Assamese macaques reveals that their gut bacteria composition changes uniquely with age, despite similar lifestyles. This finding suggests that the process is part of natural aging and not due to lifestyle changes, with potential implications for developing personalized therapies against intestinal diseases.
A new study found that banded mongooses engage in lethal intergroup battles, with the number of adult males and age of oldest male being crucial factors. Experienced individuals are vital for success, while older males become liabilities beyond a certain age.
A giant tortoise from the Fernandina Island species, believed extinct for over a century, has been confirmed alive through genetic sequencing. The discovery opens up new questions about its evolutionary relationship to other Galápagos tortoises and provides hope for conservation efforts.
A novel computational method estimates the level of connectivity in bacterial communities, revealing that species diversity is limited by interaction strength. Understanding these stability principles is essential for developing medical treatments and preserving the environment.
Researchers find that cooperative breeding in animal societies increases survival chances of carers, leading to higher reproductive success. The study also reveals the relative importance of kin selection and individual selection varies depending on environmental conditions.
A new study describes a troglobitic clam species from northern Brazil, characterized by lack of pigmentation and reduced size. The discovery highlights the importance of conserving fragile subterranean habitats threatened by recently amended laws in Brazil.
A team of researchers has identified the ancient bird species behind giant prehistoric eggs in Australia, resolving a years-long debate. The study found that the eggs belonged to a unique duck-like line of megafauna known as the 'Demon Ducks of Doom', which was laid by the Genyornis newtoni bird.
Researchers mapped out the natural history of drywood termites, revealing oceanic voyages that accelerated their evolution and confirmed recent dispersals via humans. The study also challenged the common assumption of primitive lifestyles, highlighting the diversity and complexity of termite social behavior.
Researchers at the University of Exeter are using satellites and drones to track the availability of flowers for pollinators. This technology could be combined with behavioral studies to better understand the impact of human activity on pollinator habitats, leading to more effective conservation efforts.
Researchers develop system to measure power distribution between sexes in animals, finding females rule in some species, with reproductive control as common thread. The study proposes a new framework to quantify intersexual power relationships across mammalian societies.
In Chinese penduline tits, egg burial is primarily done to prevent eggs from rolling out of the nest in strong winds, a function that may have evolved in ancient species of the genus. This study found that 45% of eggs in experimental nests showed signs of being blown out, highlighting the importance of egg burial in these birds.
A new framework for understanding animal societies emerges from a review of wealth inequality research in humans and animals. Wealth is found to be distributed equally or unequally across species, with material goods, individual attributes, and social connections being critical sources.
Researchers observed that bacteria change their swimming behavior to avoid getting stuck in confined spaces. In open areas, bacteria meander without discernible pattern, but upon entry into tight spaces, they straighten their paths to escape, suggesting physical features like walls and corners serve as crucial cues.
The Ecological Society of America will hold its 107th Annual Meeting in Montreal from August 14-19, 2022. This year's meeting combines resources and interests of the ESA and Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution, focusing on theme "A Change Is Gonna Come" exploring global environmental and evolutionary change.
Vervet monkeys have excellent cognitive skills for quickly appraising social context and planning routes accordingly. They make complex, multifactor decisions that consider contextual information, such as individual skill, rank, and competitor distance.
A new study reveals that freshwater habitats have the highest animal species richness per area, with more than 99% of known animal species inhabiting land and 12% ocean habitats. The research suggests that preserving freshwater ecosystems can protect more species and evolutionary history.
A new study found that native species in southwestern Washington floodplains adapt to bullfrogs and sunfish by changing their feeding strategies. The researchers analyzed carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in predators and prey to understand food webs, finding that some species shifted towards more abundant food sources.
A study has discovered that humans are disrupting a fundamental pattern in ecosystems, which dates back at least 66 million years. The U-shaped relationship between diet and size in modern land mammals has been found to span across multiple vertebrate groups, including birds, reptiles, and fish.
Human activity on Hainan Island is causing changes in the body shapes and diets of tropical birds, resulting in biotic homogenisation. Despite efforts to protect biodiversity, the island's unique ecosystem is being affected by large-scale economic and land-use changes.
A new study by an international team of scientists links early human habitats to past climate shifts using a supercomputer model and fossil records. The research suggests that climate change played a central role in determining where different hominin groups lived and their remains were found.
A Rutgers study found that climate change will alter predator-prey interactions, preventing species from adapting to changing conditions. This will lead to a decline in commercially important fisheries and a shift in the abundance of species in their new geographic ranges.
A new study found that mountain streams are signaling climate change through changes in invertebrate populations, which can indicate ecosystem health. The researchers discovered that diversity tends to increase downstream but is lowest near lakes, highlighting the need for protecting these ecosystems from diversions and habitat damage.
Research by the University of Bath found that weaver birds eating seeds live in colonies and have polygamous breeding, while those eating insects are solitary and monogamous. The study statistically supports an ecological hypothesis on social behavior first proposed 58 years ago.
Researchers found that forced proximity increased social grooming in random pairs of vampire bats, which persisted for over two months. The study suggests a causal relationship between being forced into close proximity and forming preferences for each other, echoing the human experience of college roommates.
Jellyfish have evolved separate and independently complex eyes many times over millions of years, making them an ideal model to understand genetic expression. By analyzing multiple species and genes, researchers aim to uncover similarities and differences in evolutionary patterns.
A team of researchers found that spotted hyenas in the Serengeti National Park adjust their foraging behavior in response to climate change, with a decrease in migratory herd presence due to increased rainfall. Despite this, lactating hyenas successfully nurse their young, suggesting high plasticity in their foraging behavior.
Researchers at the University of Leicester identified striking similarities between grasshopper mandibles and mammal teeth, enabling accurate predictions of their diets. The study used 3D imaging techniques to map the shape of grasshoppers' mouthparts, revealing differences linked to diet, such as steeper slopes for carnivorous species.
A study reveals that new bird species arise in lowland habitats before moving higher into mountainous areas, where genetic differences accumulate. The research suggests that climate fluctuations, particularly during the Pleistocene era, contributed to the evolution of these high-altitude populations.
Researchers identify three types of mechanisms underlying evolvability, including determinants providing variation, shaping the effect of variation on fitness, and shaping the selection process. Evolvability also depends on the timescale, with asexually reproducing organisms evolving faster but reaching lower adaptation levels, while s...
A comprehensive analysis of 1,800 bird species found that adult sex ratios are the main driving force behind differences in sex roles. Climate, life histories, and social environment were not significant factors. The study provides new insights into the evolution of sex roles in birds.
Research found that an earlier start to the growing season enhances tree growth in cold, humid regions but not in dry areas. The study analyzed annual tree-ring width data and found distinct spatial patterns of tree growth in response to an earlier onset of cambial activity.
A recent study reveals that parthenogenesis, a type of asexual reproduction, leads to a loss of efficiency in selecting beneficial mutations, reduced genetic diversity, and decreased heterozygosity in stick insects. This has significant implications for species' ability to adapt to changing environments.
A study by Brazilian researchers found that regular fires enhance functional diversity and carbon fixation in savannas. They measured species numbers, attributes, and carbon dynamics in two areas, one with frequent fires and the other without fires for 16 years.
A recent study discovered that hummingbird-pollinated plant species exhibit significantly higher seed set and germination rates than their bee-pollinated counterparts. This finding suggests that hummingbirds can pollinate plants more effectively due to their larger activity range and frequent movement between different plant individuals.
Scientists are creating a global audio collection of aquatic life to monitor changing marine life and identify new species. The GLUBS platform uses ocean hydrophones, AI, and citizen science to analyze soundscapes and track biodiversity on reefs and other ocean habitats.
Using ancient and historical DNA can assess population genetic patterns and inform conservation actions. The study reveals that a/hDNA can be compared with contemporary data to set baselines for intra-species genetic diversity and estimate changes in effective population size.
Grackles' ability to inhibit previous behavior is linked to their flexibility, according to researchers. The study used various tests, including a touchscreen computer test, to assess inhibition and flexibility in grackles.