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An analysis of 33 brain regions across a wide sample of primates reveals that primate brain structure is largely driven by selection on sensory and cognitive specializations that develop in response to different socioecological niches.
Vavilovian mimicry is the phenomenon whereby weeds evolve to resemble co-located crop plants through unintentional human selection. Here the authors compare mimetic and non-mimetic populations of Echinochloa crus-galli (a weed mimic of rice) to characterize the genomic underpinnings of this case of Vavilovian mimicry.
The number of species increases from the poles to the Equator; yet it is unclear what determines this pattern. Using simulations, the authors show that spatio-temporal climatic changes recapitulate the patterns of vertebrate biodiversity as a function of speciation, extinction and dispersal alone.
An assessment of fish movement along stream networks of the southern Appalachian Mountains identifies species-intrinsic sensitivities and habitat characteristics that allow some fish to disperse to keep pace with climate change but prevent successful climate tracking in some species.
On moonlit nights, barn owls with white plumage are more successful hunters than those with red plumage. White owls trigger longer freezing times in their prey by exploiting their aversion to bright light, despite the fact that they can be more easily detected.
Long-term data on 26 reintroduced Alpine ibex populations show that inbreeding reduces per capita population growth rates, especially in harsher environmental conditions. These results validate conservation efforts to reduce inbreeding in rare species.
Analysing functional traits among plants, bacteria and fungi along a latitudinal gradient, the authors find evidence that microbial processes are tightly coupled to variation in plant traits via temperature.
A synthesis of global change experiments that manipulated temperature, precipitation, carbon dioxide or nitrogen identifies a need to consider site-specific factors and interactions in Earth system models.
Changes in the dynamics of freshwater Daphnia populations in relation to their edible and inedible phytoplankton resources reveal rare evidence for eco-evolutionary feedbacks in a natural ecosystem.
Surveys from 2,584 sites across the Indo-Pacific identify key climate, socioeconomic and environmental drivers associated with hard coral assemblages. This informs a strategic approach to protect, recover or transform coral reef management.
Using a global interaction dataset, the authors quantify the distribution of trophic interactions among marine fish, finding a high degree of geographic connectivity but low spatial modularity.
Variation in responses to bacterial and viral stimuli between Batwa rainforest hunter-gatherers and Bakiga agriculturalists from Uganda suggests population-level divergence under natural selection, with hunter-gatherers disproportionately showing signatures of positive selection.
Monitor lizards have a high aerobic capacity and distinctive cardiovascular physiology. Here the authors sequence the genome of the Komodo dragon and reveal genetic changes associated with its unique sensory, cardiovascular and muscular systems.
By creating synthetic strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that differ in their sucrose metabolism strategies, the authors show that private-metabolizers may outcompete communities of public-metabolizers and cheater-strains, but their lower growth rate ultimately causes instability and population decline.
Exposing the eggs of yellow-legged gulls to adult conspecific predator alarm calls, the authors show that this information can be socially transmitted to other embryos in the clutch, even when they are naive to these calls.
Expression profiles and genomes of Bacilli species show modular organization of the life cycle and mosaic evolution of life cycle changes. Experimental evolution shows parallel losses of the sporulation life stage under conditions that promote colony growth.
Analysis of demographic data from 121 species shows that animal life history strategies vary across two axes of variation defined by the pace of life and the distribution of a species’ mortality and reproduction over their life course.
Examining transmission of microbes between parent and offspring pairs in eight species of marine sponges, the authors find little evidence for consistency in vertical transmission or partner fidelity.