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The current research proposes and tests a novel model explaining how job insecurity shapes well-being and has consequences for stratification and inequality. I draw on evolutionary life history theory, which proposes that growing up in a poorer versus wealthier environment impacts the sense of control people feel when exposed to threat in adulthood. I integrate this perspective with transactional stress theory to propose that job insecurity has a disproportionately negative effect on employees from poorer backgrounds, leading to lower engagement and higher emotional exhaustion among such employees, while those from wealthier backgrounds are buffered against these effects. These responses to job insecurity, in turn, amplify job loss risk for employees from poorer backgrounds, regardless of employees' current job or financial situation. A preregistered, multisource, five-wave longitudinal study conducted at the height of the COVID-19 crisis in India found support for these predictions. A follow-up quasi-experiment conducted in India and the United States replicated the effects on engagement and exhaustion. The impact of job insecurity on well-being is stratified and acts as a mechanism that reproduces childhood inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding phenology can have strong demographic consequences. Yet, the reasons why coexisting animal species differ in breeding phenology have received little attention. We tested selection pressures that underlie life history variation, such as age‐specific mortality, diet, and body size to explain breeding phenology of 16 coexisting songbird species in arid shrubland in South Africa. The average start and end dates for the earliest and latest species differed by 1.5 months, with a gradient among remaining species. Nest predation risk generally increased through the season, although species differed in seasonal patterns. Species with lower annual adult mortality, greater seasonal increases in nest predation, and greater nest predation rates had earlier start and stop dates, thereby reducing demographic risks. Species with higher adult mortality had larger brood sizes that require more food and they bred later when food was more abundant. Evolved timing of breeding thereby reflected risk management and food availability related to longevity and brood size. These factors may place unrecognized constraints on within‐species responses to climate change. Given the importance of phenology for fitness, phenology should be integrated as a core life history trait in future theory, and evolutionary constraints need to be considered in responses to climate change. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intraspecific communication among carnivores can be complex and risky, and many solitary carnivores (including pumas; Puma concolor) primarily communicate with potential mates and competitors indirectly via scent marking at communication hubs. We used multiple temporal analyses to understand if pumas of three classes (males, solo females, and females traveling with dependent kittens) varied in their temporal use of communication hubs to reduce risk while gathering information. We hypothesized that males would visit scrapes at typical times (nighttime), but that female behavioral strategies might vary based on whether they had dependent kittens or not. We found that pumas of different classes varied in their temporal patterns: male pumas concentrated their temporal activity at night (which is typical for pumas), solo females also tended to visit during the nighttime (although slightly earlier on average than males), while females with kittens were more active in the daytime. Our findings highlight the importance of communication hubs for intersexual communication in pumas and the flexibility that is inherent in puma behavioral ecology. Females adjusted their temporal behavior and visitation based on their reproductive status and life history stage, likely to assess dominant territorial males while also limiting their risk. Our study provides a mechanistic view of how communication through scent marking allows both long‐term and spatially separated communication to occur and that may allow pumas at different life stages with different risk tolerances to communicate with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Location Taxon Methods Results Main Conclusion We reconstructed the genetic patterns and identified the main genetic breaks of several taxa across California and Baja California coast. Additionally, we evaluated the contribution of different variables to the level of structure.California and Baja California coast.Fish, invertebrates, algae, seagrass and mammals.We generated a map to reconstruct the genetic patterns using genetic information (Fst index and phylogenetic clades distribution) from a literature review of population genetics publications from 2000 to 2023. For the analysis of genetic connectivity drivers, we explored the effect of different variables representing life history traits, reproductive strategies and biogeographic variables and generated five working hypotheses which were evaluated with generalized linear models (GLMs).We identified 42 genetic breaks from 63 species across our study area. The largest number of breaks occurs from 27° N to 29° N and from 31° N to 35° N. This range includes transition zones between ecoregions such as Punta Eugenia, Baja California, Mexico and Point Conception, California, USA. We also identified Ensenada, Baja California region as a barrier to gene flow. From a transboundary perspective, we found 40 species with connectivity between California and Baja California, including 14 commercial and or recreational species. We found none of the variables explored had a clear effect on the level of genetic differentiation of the species assessed in the region.Genetic breaks among different taxa do not distribute randomly across the latitudinal range from California and Baja California coastal area, rather they are mainly located in transition zones between marine ecoregions. The challenge to identify specific variables that explain general genetic patterns highlights the complexity that drives population connectivity processes in marine species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging is a complex process influenced by internal and external factors. Oxidative stress damages DNA, leading to 8-hydroxy-2' deoxyguanosine formation (8-OHdG). Telomere shortening is considered a biomarker of aging and oxidative stress may enhance its attrition. The ability to manage and repair oxidative stress varies among species and life histories. Avian species, such as Psittacidae birds, exhibit exceptional lifespans despite their physiological characteristics that might suggest otherwise. This study investigates 8-OHdG levels in serum samples from long- and short-lived birds of the order Psittaciformes, examining their relationship with telomere length and antioxidant capacity based on lifespan strategies. Among 43 individuals analyzed 26 belonged to the "long-lived species" group and 17 belonged to the "short-lived species" one. Relative telomere length (rTL) was measured in DNA isolated from whole blood by qPCR, and oxidative stress markers, such as Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) and 8-OHdG, were determined by spectrophotometry in serum samples. Long-lived birds had longer rTL than short-lived ones [1.308 ± 0.11 vs. 0.565 ± 0.13, (p < 0.001)]. On the contrary, short-lived birds showed more DNA damage than their counterparts [3.847 ± 0.351 vs. 2.012 ± 0.308, respectively, (p < 0.001)]. Old birds had shorter rTL than young ones, for both longevity groups (p < 0.001). Although no correlation was found between 8-OHdG levels and age, nor 8-OHdG and telomere length, long-lived birds exhibited 75.42-unit increased TAC levels when increased 8-OHdG concentrations (p = 0.046). These findings highlight distinct patterns of telomere length and oxidative stress influenced by lifespan strategies among avian longevity groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the need for standardized definitions in the field of applied physiology to improve understanding of adaptive mechanisms. The authors highlight the inconsistent use of terminology and propose a set of definitions for key terms related to adaptation. They argue that these definitions will enhance clarity and consensus in the field. The article also briefly mentions the relevance of evolutionary biology to the study of adaptation. Another article titled "The Biology of the Colonizing Ape" explores the biological factors contributing to the success of ape colonization, such as diet, locomotion, and reproductive strategies. It provides valuable insights into the evolutionary history and behavior of apes, making it a useful resource for researchers in this field. [Extracted from the article]

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are a global threat to freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem services. Documenting AIS prevalence at broad spatial scales is critical to effective management and early detection. However, conventional monitoring for AIS is costly and is rarely applied at the resolution and scale required for effective management. Monitoring of AIS using environmental DNA (eDNA) has the potential to enable broadscale surveillance at a fraction of the cost of conventional methods, but key questions must first be addressed related to how eDNA detection probability varies among environments, seasons, and multiple species with different life histories. To quantify spatiotemporal variation in the detection probability of AIS using eDNA sampling, we surveyed 20 lakes with known populations of four aquatic invasive species: common carp (Cyprinus carpio), rusty crayfish (Faxonius rusticus), spiny waterflea (Bythotrephes longimanus), and zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha). We collected water samples at 10 locations per lake, five times throughout the open water season resulting in a total of 1,000 water samples. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used with species‐specific assays to determine the presence of each species' eDNA in water samples. With Bayesian occupancy models, we quantified the effects of lake and site characteristics and Julian date on eDNA detection probability. The probability of eDNA detection varied seasonally, and the seasonal variation was species‐specific and related to species life histories. Zebra mussel eDNA was generally the most detectable among the species we targeted, and detection probability peaked in midsummer when only six water samples were required to achieve a 95% probability of detection (80% Bayesian credible interval: 3–12 samples). Spiny waterflea eDNA detections also peaked in mid to late summer, but were overall the most difficult species to detect, requiring 160 samples for a 95% probability of detection (80% Bayesian credible interval: 67–1,616 samples). Common carp eDNA was most detectable in the spring and rusty crayfish eDNA was most detectable in the early autumn, corresponding to key life history events. Sampling for eDNA during the optimal time of the year for each species decreased the number of samples required to reach a 95% probability of detection by an order of magnitude or more. Our results are relevant for decision makers interested in using eDNA as a multi‐species monitoring tool and highlight the importance of life history in the efficacy of eDNA monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment of livestock with endectocides such as ivermectin is viewed as a complementary vector control approach to address residual transmission of malaria. However, efficacy of this treatment may vary between animal species. Hence, our purpose was to investigate the effects of ivermectin treatments of common livestock species on life history traits of the opportunistic malaria vector Anopheles coluzzii. Sheep, goats and pigs were treated using injectable veterinary ivermectin formulation at the species-specific doses (recommended dose for all species and high dose in pig). Mosquito batches were exposed to treated and control (not injected) animals at different days after treatment. Daily mosquito mortality was recorded and fecundity assessed through the count of gravid females and the number of eggs they developed. The recommended dose of ivermectin induced a significant decrease in mosquito survival for up to 7 days after injection (DAI), with a decrease of 89.7%, 66.7%, and 48.4% in treated pigs, goats and sheep, respectively, compared to control animals. In treated pigs, the triple therapeutic dose decreased mosquito survival of 68.97% relatively to controls up to 14 DAI. The average number in gravid females Anopheles that survived after feeding on treated animals were reduced when blood-meals were taken on sheep (2.57% and 42.03% at 2 and 7 DAI), or on goats (decrease of the 28.28% and 73.64% respectively at 2 and 7 DAI). This study shows that ivermectin treatments to animals negatively impacts An. coluzzii life history traits and could reduce vector densities in areas where livestock live near humans. However, due to short-term efficacy of single dose treatments, repeated treatments and potentially increased dosages would be required to span the transmission season. The use of long-acting ivermectin formulations is discussed as a mean for extending efficacy while remaining cost effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological role of heritable phenotypic variation in free‐living populations remains largely unknown. Knowledge of the genetic basis of functional ecological processes can link genomic and phenotypic diversity, providing insight into polymorphism evolution and how populations respond to environmental changes. By quantifying the marine diet of Atlantic salmon, we assessed how foraging behaviour changes along the ontogeny, and in relation to genetic variation in two loci with major effects on age at maturity (six6 and vgll3). We used a two‐component, zero‐inflated negative binomial model to simultaneously quantify foraging frequency and foraging outcome, separately for fish and crustaceans diets. We found that older salmon forage for both prey types more actively (as evidenced by increased foraging frequency), but with a decreased efficiency (as evidenced by fewer prey in the diet), suggesting an age‐dependent shift in foraging dynamics. The vgll3 locus was linked to age‐dependent changes in foraging behaviour: Younger salmon with vgll3LL (the genotype associated with late maturation) tended to forage crustaceans more often than those with vgll3EE (the genotype associated with early maturation), whereas the pattern was reversed in older salmon. Vgll3LL genotype was also linked to a marginal increase in fish acquisition, especially in younger salmon, while six6 was not a factor explaining the diet variation. Our results suggest a functional role for marine feeding behaviour linking genomic diversity at vgll3 with age at maturity among salmon, with potential age‐dependent trade‐offs maintaining the genetic variation. A shared genetic basis between dietary ecology and age at maturity likely subjects Atlantic salmon populations to evolution induced by bottom‐up changes in marine productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Understanding how life history shapes genetic diversity is a fundamental issue in evolutionary biology, with important consequences for conservation. However, we still have an incomplete picture of the impact of life history on genome‐wide patterns of diversity, especially in long‐lived semelparous plants. Puya raimondii is a high‐altitude semelparous species from the Andes that flowers at 40–100 years of age. We sequenced the whole genome and estimated the nucleotide diversity of 200 individuals sampled from nine populations. Coalescent‐based approaches were then used to infer past population dynamics. Finally, these results were compared with results obtained for the iteroparous species, Puya macrura. The nine populations of P. raimondii were highly divergent, highly inbred, and carried an exceptionally high genetic load. They are genetically depauperate, although, locally in the genome, balancing selection contributed to the maintenance of genetic polymorphism. While both P. raimondii and P. macrura went through a severe bottleneck during the Pleistocene, P. raimondii did not recover from it and continuously declined, while P. macrura managed to bounce back. Our results demonstrate the importance of life history, in particular generation time and reproductive strategy, in affecting population dynamics and genomic variation, and illustrate the genetic fragility of long‐lived semelparous plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing catalogue of studies detailing the taxonomic and functional composition of soil bacterial communities, the life history traits of those communities remain largely unknown. This study analyzes a global dataset of soil metagenomes to explore environmental drivers of growth potential, a fundamental aspect of bacterial life history. We find that growth potential, estimated from codon usage statistics, was highest in forested biomes and lowest in arid latitudes. This indicates that bacterial productivity generally reflects ecosystem productivity globally. Accordingly, the strongest environmental predictors of growth potential were productivity indicators, such as distance to the equator, and soil properties that vary along productivity gradients, such as pH and carbon to nitrogen ratios. We also observe that growth potential was negatively correlated with the relative abundances of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, demonstrating tradeoffs between growth and resource acquisition in soil bacteria. Overall, we identify macroecological patterns in bacterial growth potential and link growth rates to soil carbon cycling. This study analyzes a global dataset of soil metagenomes to explore environmental drivers of growth potential, a fundamental aspect of bacterial life history. The authors show that growth potential, estimated from codon usage statistics, was highest in forested biomes and lowest in arid latitudes, which indicates that bacterial productivity generally reflects ecosystem productivity globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate affects seasonality and plant phenology, which can influence seasonal body mass dynamics of herbivores in temperate environments. We investigated long‐term trends of seasonal body mass changes in male Alpine ibex Capra ibex. We used SEM to test direct and indirect relationships between body mass, mass changes and environmental and climatic variables. Individually recognizable Alpine ibex were weighed repeatedly between 2000 and 2022 in Gran Paradiso National Park (Italy). Autumn mass increased substantially over these two decades, up to 15% in some age classes. Over the same time frame, both summer mass gain and winter mass loss decreased, suggesting that heavier autumn body mass was due to the cumulative effects of reduced mass loss over several winters. The environmental factor with the strongest effects on winter mass changes was the starting date of vegetation green‐up at low altitude, where ibex gather after winter to feed on new growth vegetation. Early springs led to lower winter mass loss, likely because ibex relied on stored fat for a shorter period and had greater access to forage. High population density also increased winter mass loss. Environmental conditions and resource availability, possibly also influenced by density in winter and early spring, seem therefore to directly affect the body mass dynamics of male Alpine ibex, while the effect of summer conditions appears less relevant. By affecting seasonal body mass dynamics, climate change may have consequences for life history and population dynamics of mountain herbivores, for example via earlier access of young males to reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolutionary transitions in individuality are events in the history of life leading to the emergence of new levels of individuality. Recent studies have described an ecological scaffolding scenario of such transitions focused on the evolutionary consequences of an externally imposed renewing meta-population structure with limited dispersal. One difficulty for such a scenario has been explaining the stability of collective-level traits when scaffolding conditions no longer apply. Here, we show that the stability of scaffolded traits can rely on evolutionary hysteresis: even if the environment is reverted to an ancestral state, collectives do not return to ancestral phenotypes. We describe this phenomenon using a stochastic meta-population model and adaptive dynamics. Further, we show that ecological scaffolding may be limited to Goldilocks zones of the environment. We conjecture that Goldilocks zones—even if they might be rare—could act as initiators of evolutionary transitions and help to explain the near ubiquity of collective-level individuality. The stability of newly emerged collective-level traits during an evolutionary transition in individuality under the ecological-scaffolding scenario is not fully explained. Here, the authors use a stochastic meta-population model and adaptive dynamics to show that evolutionary hysteresis supports this stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the significance of understanding fish habitat ecology in a changing climate and its implications for fisheries stability and ecosystem health. It emphasizes the need for diverse approaches, such as field observations, laboratory experiments, genomics, telemetry, and modeling, to quantify fish habitat needs. The integration of data on fish movement, connectivity, and food webs is crucial for predicting future fish distributions and informing management and conservation efforts. The article also discusses the various stressors faced by fish populations, including warming, hypoxia, and habitat loss, which have led to shifts in fish distributions. Accurately predicting fish population responses to environmental change requires data from various disciplines. The text highlights the importance of building social connectivity and communication between academia, stakeholders, managers, and policymakers for effective fish and habitat management. It emphasizes the need for long-term food security and sustainable fishing practices, as well as the concept of "One Health" to ensure the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment. The article concludes by expressing pride in hosting the 2023 FSBI Symposium and emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and engaging the public in fisheries science. [Extracted from the article]

Shallow coastal and estuarine habitats play an essential role in the life cycles of many fish species, providing spawning, nursery, feeding, and migration areas. However, these ecologically valuable habitats are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities, causing substantial changes in both habitat availability and quality. Fish species use these shallow coastal habitats and estuaries during various life stages, leading to their categorization into guilds based on how and when they rely on these areas. This differential functional use of estuaries means that changes to these habitats may affect each guild differently. To understand the impact of estuarine habitat degradation on fish populations, it is therefore necessary to consider the full life cycle of fish and when they rely on these coastal habitats. Here, we use conceptual size‐structured population models to study how estuarine habitat degradation affects two functionally different guilds. We use these models to predict how reduced food productivity in the estuary affects the demographic rates and population dynamics of these groups. Specifically, we model estuarine residents, which complete their entire life cycle in estuaries, and marine estuarine–dependent species, which inhabit estuaries during early life before transitioning offshore. We find that total fish biomass for both guilds decreases with decreasing food productivity. However, the density of juveniles of the marine estuarine–dependent guild can, under certain conditions, increase in the estuary. This occurs due to a shift in the population biomass distribution over different life stages and a simultaneous shift in which life stage is most limited by food. At the individual level, somatic growth of juveniles belonging to the estuarine‐dependent guild decreased with lower food supply in the estuary, due to increased competition for food. The somatic growth rates of fish belonging to the resident guild were largely unaffected by low food supply, as the total fish density decreased at the same time and therefore the per‐capita food availability was similar. These outcomes challenge the assumption that responses to habitat degradation are similar between fish guilds. Our study highlights the need to assess not only fish biomass but also size distributions, survival, and somatic growth rates for a comprehensive understanding of the effects of habitat degradation on fish populations. This understanding is crucial not only for estuary fish communities but also for successful conservation and management of commercially harvested offshore population components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The arrival order of species can strongly influence the early assembly of ecological communities. Such events, known as priority effects, are documented in various ecological settings, but remain understudied within the context of the gut microbiome. Given the fundamental link between the gut microbiome and host health, exploring the potential role of priority effects in shaping the assembly and development of microbial communities within the gut becomes imperative. Using the freshwater planktonic crustacean Daphnia magna as a model system, we manipulated the immigration order of three bacterial strain pairs in two germ‐free genotypes and quantified gut microbiome composition and host fitness at two time points, namely day 8 and day 12. Priority effects were observed; however, their presence, amplitude, and direction (suppressive or facilitative) were found to be contingent on the identity of bacterial strain and host genotype. These findings were accompanied by notable differences in Daphnia life history traits across inoculation order treatments, shedding light on the tangible consequences of priority effects triggered by the sequence of bacterial strain arrival in the gut environment, for host fitness. Our results thus highlight the complex nature of priority effects in gut community assembly, their strain/genotype specificity, and their potential impact on the host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a subfossil carpometacarpus of an extinct species of lapwing, Vanellus madagascariensis , restricted to Madagascar and inferred to be less than 3,000 years old. Lapwings, comprising 24 species in the New and Old World, are not recorded in the modern Malagasy avifauna. Members of this genus are often well-adapted to human induced habitat modifications. Material of this species has been recovered from three subfossil sites, each site with a single element, in the southwest of the island, including two humeri and a carpometacarpus. The carpal spur of V. madagascariensis was notably more developed than any living species of lapwing. It is presumed that these formidable armaments were employed to defend territories and hinder predation on nest contents and young. Large-scale desiccation in southwestern Madagascar starting about 3,000 years ago would have had a direct impact on local freshwater aquatic environments, in turn diminishing local habitat for this species, and ultimately leading to its extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our research constructed school life histories with 23 'lower‐attaining' primary school children in England. Previous research has often failed to focus on the social justice aspects of this group, and no attempt has been made to contextualise children's misrecognition experiences within their full school life history, nor to hear primarily from children. Our results reveal for the first time the feelings, thinking and actions of lower attainers across 5 years of schooling, in response to the institutionalised practice of grouping by prior attainment. Nancy Fraser's conceptualisation of social justice as parity of participation provides our analysis framework, incorporating concepts of redistribution, recognition and representation. We focus primarily on how some low‐attaining children experience misrecognition. Our results indicate how lower‐attaining children sometimes identify themselves as less worthy, less connected, less similar and less visible than others. This construction allows for less respect to be shown to them and could block the fair distribution of schooling resources, and limit their opportunities for achieving social esteem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For insects that exhibit wing polyphenic development, abiotic and biotic signals dictate the adult wing morphology of the insect in an adaptive manner such that in stressful environments the formation of a flight-capable morph is favored and in low-stress environments, a flightless morph is favored. While there is a relatively large amount known about the environmental cues that dictate morph formation in wing polyphenic hemipterans like planthoppers and aphids, whether those cues dictate the same morphs in non-hemipteran (i.e. cricket) wing polyphenic species has not been explicitly investigated. To experimentally test the generality of environmental cue determination of wing polyphenism across taxa with diverse life histories, in this study, we tested the importance of food quantity, parasitic infection, and tactile cues on wing morph determination in the wing polyphenic sand field cricket, Gryllus firmus. Our results also show that certain stress cues, such as severe diet quantity limitation and parasitic infection, actually led to an increase in the production of flightless morph. Based on these findings, our results suggest that physiological and genetic constraints are important to an organism's ability to respond to environmental variation in an adaptive manner beyond simple life history trade-offs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in genome sequencing and assembly techniques have increased the documentation of structural variants in wild organisms. Of these variants, chromosomal inversions are especially prominent due to their large size and active recombination suppression between alternative homokaryotypes. This suppression enables the 2 forms of the inversion to be maintained and allows the preservation of locally adapted alleles. The Barramundi Perch (BP; Lates calcarifer) is a widespread species complex with 3 main genetic lineages located in the biogeographic regions of Australia and New Guinea (AUS + NG), Southeast Asia (SEA), and the Indian Subcontinent (IND). BP are typically considered to be a protandrous sequential hermaphrodite species that exhibits catadromy. Freshwater occupancy and intraspecific variation in life history (e.g. partially migratory populations) exist and provide opportunities for strongly divergent selection associated with, for example, salinity tolerance, swimming ability, and marine dispersal. Herein, we utilize genomic data generated from all 3 genetic lineages to identify and describe 3 polymorphic candidate chromosomal inversions. These candidate chromosomal inversions appear to be fixed for ancestral variants in the IND lineage and for inverted versions in the AUS + NG lineage and exhibit variation in all 3 inversions in the SEA lineage. BP have a diverse portfolio of life history options that includes migratory strategy as well as sexual system (i.e. hermaphroditism and gonochorism). We propose that the some of the life history variabilities observed in BP may be linked to inversions and, in doing so, we present genetic data that might be useful in enhancing aquaculture production and population management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex patterns of genome evolution associated with the end-Cretaceous [Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg)] mass extinction limit our understanding of the early evolutionary history of modern birds. Here, we analyzed patterns of avian molecular evolution and identified distinct macroevolutionary regimes across exons, introns, untranslated regions, and mitochondrial genomes. Bird clades originating near the K-Pg boundary exhibited numerous shifts in the mode of molecular evolution, suggesting a burst of genomic heterogeneity at this point in Earth's history. These inferred shifts in substitution patterns were closely related to evolutionary shifts in developmental mode, adult body mass, and patterns of metabolic scaling. Our results suggest that the end-Cretaceous mass extinction triggered integrated patterns of evolution across avian genomes, physiology, and life history near the dawn of the modern bird radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The opening of habitats associated with the emergence of C4 grasslands during the Neogene had a massive influence on the evolution of plant and animal communities. Strikingly, the impacts of grassland expansion on species diversification in Africa, where the largest surface of grasslands and savannas in the world is located, are not well understood. To explore the impact of habitat opening, we investigate the evolution of noctuid stemborers, a group of moths mostly associated with open habitats, and whose diversity is centered in the Afrotropics. We generate a dated molecular phylogeny for ca 80% of the known stemborer species, and assess the role of habitat opening on the evolutionary trajectory of the group through a combination of parametric historical biogeography, ancestral character state estimation, life history traits and habitat‐dependent diversification analyses. Our results support an origin of stemborers in Southern and East Africa ca 20 million years ago (Ma), with range expansions linked to the increased availability of open habitats to act as dispersal corridors, and closed habitats acting as potent barriers to dispersal. Early specialization on open habitats was maintained over time, with shifts towards closed habitats being rare and invariably unidirectional. Analyses of life history traits showed that habitat changes involved specific features likely associated with grassland adaptations, such as variations in larval behavior and color. We compare these findings to those previously inferred for an Afrotropical butterfly group that diversified roughly in parallel with the stemborers but distributed predominantly in closed habitats. Remarkably, these two groups show nearly opposite responses in relation to habitat specialization, whether in terms of biogeographical patterns, or in terms of rates of transition between open and closed habitats. We conclude that habitat opening played a major role in the evolutionary history of Afrotropical lineages through dispersal and adaptation linked to habitat shifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the interactions among three nonindigenous coral species in a tropical marine fouling community. The study focuses on the Tubastraea species, which are invasive corals originally from the tropical Indo-Pacific. The researchers found that these invasive corals can coexist and interact with each other without causing harm. They also observed fusion between colonies of different Tubastraea species, creating chimeric colonies. The study highlights the importance of understanding the interactions between invasive and native species in marine ecosystems. [Extracted from the article]

Oogenesis has universal characteristics among fishes, in which structures of vital importance for embryos are assembled. However, these universal structures may have additional functions depending on the evolutionary ecology of each species. The aim of this research was to describe histologically the structure of the ovary and the oogenesis of the pupfishes Cyprinodon artifrons and Garmanella pulchra, with emphasis on the follicular structures linked to the resistance of embryos to desiccation. The embryos of pupfishes experience periodic deleterious environmental changes caused by estuarine tides. They can survive periods out of water protected by accessory egg layers assembled in the ovaries during oogenesis. This research found that both species have a single ovary with asynchronous follicle development, associated with a frequent breeding activity. Also, multiple generations of cortical alveoli were described, larger in G. pulchra, related with the formation of perivitelline space, a structure that can buffer the effects of desiccation when embryos remain out of water. In both species, the accumulation of oil droplets in the oocytes was simultaneous with the synthesis of cortical alveoli. Oil droplets may be related to energy reserves during extended incubation periods. The zona pellucida of both species presented an intermediate thickness with respect to other species, and hair-like filaments arranged on the zona pellucida of G. pulchra were clearly detected. These structures as a whole, could be related to the survival of the embryos of the pupfishes of Yucatan in the tidal fluctuations in the estuarine environments in which they inhabit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests a robust link between the severity of maternal depression and children's depression risks in middle childhood. Variations among depressed mothers in terms of affective dysregulation and frequent mood changes are also observed. However, the understanding of how fluctuations in maternal depressive symptoms and negative affect influence children is limited. Guided by life history theory, the current study tested whether the degree of fluctuations in maternal depressive symptoms, anxiety, and anger contributed to depression risks among school-aged children. The sample included 1,364 families where maternal depressive symptoms, anxiety, and anger were longitudinally assessed when children were in Grades 1, 3, 5, and 6. Children's anxious depression and withdrawn depression behaviors were rated in Grades 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 by two caregivers. Parallel latent growth curve analyses revealed that, first, fluctuations in maternal anxiety from Grade 1 to 6 were related to an increase in children's withdrawn depression over the same period. Second, mean maternal anger over time was related to higher mean levels of child anxious and withdrawn depression, yet fluctuations in maternal anger were not linked to child outcomes. Findings support life history theory by highlighting the degree of fluctuations in maternal anxiety as a source of environmental unpredictability and reveal different effects of maternal anxiety and anger in the intergenerational transmission of depression, with important theoretical and clinical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecotoxicological impacts of chemicals released into the environment are characterized by combining fate, exposure, and effects. For characterizing effects, species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) estimate toxic pressures of chemicals as the potentially affected fraction of species. Life cycle assessment (LCA) uses SSDs to identify products with lowest ecotoxicological impacts. To reflect ambient concentrations, the Global Life Cycle Impact Assessment Method (GLAM) ecotoxicity task force recently recommended deriving SSDs for LCA based on chronic EC10s (10% effect concentration, for a life‐history trait) and using the 20th percentile of an EC10‐based SSD as a working point. However, because we lacked measured effect concentrations, impacts of only few chemicals were assessed, underlining data limitations for decision support. The aims of this paper were therefore to derive and validate freshwater SSDs by combining measured effect concentrations with in silico methods. Freshwater effect factors (EFs) and uncertainty estimates for use in GLAM‐consistent life cycle impact assessment were then derived by combining three elements: (1) using intraspecies extrapolating effect data to estimate EC10s, (2) using interspecies quantitative structure–activity relationships, or (3) assuming a constant slope of 0.7 to derive SSDs. Species sensitivity distributions, associated EFs, and EF confidence intervals for 9862 chemicals, including data‐poor ones, were estimated based on these elements. Intraspecies extrapolations and the fixed slope approach were most often applied. The resulting EFs were consistent with EFs derived from SSD‐EC50 models, implying a similar chemical ecotoxicity rank order and method robustness. Our approach is an important step toward considering the potential ecotoxic impacts of chemicals currently neglected in assessment frameworks due to limited test data. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1914–1927. © 2024 The Author(s). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The on‐going anthropogenic degradation of freshwater habitats has drastically altered the environmental supply of both nutrients and common pollutants. Most organisms living in these altered habitats experience interactive effects of various stressors that can initiate adjustments at multiple levels impacting their fitness. Hence, studies measuring response to a single environmental parameter fail to capture the complexities of the status quo. We tested both the individual and the interactive effect of arsenic (As) exposure, food quantity, and dietary phosphorus (P)‐supply on six life‐history traits (Juvenile Growth Rate; Adult Growth Rate; Age and Size at Maturity, Lifespan, and Fecundity) as surrogates for organismal fitness in the keystone aquatic grazer Daphnia pulex. We also tested the effect of food quantity and P‐supply on somatic As accumulation in Daphnia. Our results indicated an influence of P‐supply on neonatal growth and an influence of As and food quantity on growth and maintenance later in life. Maturation was strongly influenced by all three variables, with no reproduction observed in the presence of two or more environmental stressors. We found a strong interaction between As and dietary P, with increased P‐supply intensifing the toxicity effect of As. No such effects were seen between As and food quantity, indicating a differential role of quantity versus quality on As toxicity. We found a nominal effect of diet on somatic As accumulation. The results from the present study emphasize the importance of considering such interactions between co‐occurring environmental stressors and the dietary status of organisms, to better predict and manage impacts and risks associated with common environmental toxicants in highly vulnerable ecosystems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1807–1819. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a historical perspective, I reviewed the peer-reviewed scientific literature (and some gray literature, as needed) on European hare (Lepus europaeus) in the six countries already invaded by it: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. I covered the following topics: (a) Introduction, spread, and current distribution; (b) Life history, reproduction, and population dynamics; (c) Interactions with predators other than humans; (d) Interactions with scavengers; (e) Interactions with plants and herbivorous competitors; (f) Interactions with parasites and diseases; (g) Interactions with humans, including hunting, exports, and interference. Notoriously missing is the coverage of hare genetics and population dynamics and modeling. Another eyesore is the lack of an ecosystem approach to this invader, including not only biological aspects but the social-economic and cultural contexts that harbors it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybridization between divergent lineages can result in losses of distinct evolutionary taxa. Alternatively, hybridization can lead to increased genetic variability that may fuel local adaptation and the generation of novel traits and/or taxa. Here, we examined single‐nucleotide polymorphisms generated using genotyping‐by‐sequencing in a population of Dolly Varden char (Pisces: Salmonidae) that is highly admixed within a contact zone between two subspecies (Salvelinus malma malma, Northern Dolly Varden [NDV] and S. m. lordi, Southern Dolly Varden [SDV]) in southwestern Alaska to assess the spatial distribution of hybrids and to test hypotheses on the origin of the admixed population. Ancestry analysis revealed that this admixed population is composed of advanced generation hybrids between NDV and SDV or advanced backcrosses to SDV; no F1 hybrids were detected. Coalescent‐based demographic modelling supported the origin of this population about 55,000 years ago by secondary contact between NDV and SDV with low levels of contemporary gene flow. Ancestry in NDV and SDV varies within the watershed and ancestry in NDV was positively associated with distance upstream from the sea, contingent on habitat‐type sampled, and negatively associated with the number of migrations that individual fish made to the sea. Our results suggest that divergence between subspecies over hundreds of thousands of years may not be associated with significant reproductive isolation, but that elevated diversity owing to hybridization may have contributed to adaptive divergence in habitat use and life history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explaining variation in individual fitness is a key goal in evolutionary biology. Recently, telomeres, repeating DNA sequences capping chromosome ends, have gained attention as a biomarker for body state, physiological costs, and senescence. Existing research has provided mixed evidence for whether telomere length correlates with fitness, including survival and reproductive output. Moreover, few studies have examined how the rate of change in telomere length correlates with fitness in wild populations. Here, we intensively monitored an insular population of house sparrows, and collected longitudinal telomere and life history data (16 years, 1225 individuals). We tested whether telomere length and its rate of change predict fitness measures, namely survival, lifespan and annual and lifetime reproductive effort and success. Telomere length positively predicted short‐term survival, independent of age, but did not predict lifespan, suggesting either a diminishing telomere length—survival correlation with age or other extrinsic factors of mortality. The positive association of telomere length with survival translated into reproductive benefits, as birds with longer telomeres produced more genetic recruits, hatchlings and reared more fledglings over their lifetime. In contrast, there was no association between telomere dynamics and annual reproductive output, suggesting telomere dynamics might not reflect the costs of reproduction in this population, potentially masked by variation in individual quality. The rate of change of telomere length did not correlate with neither lifespan nor lifetime reproductive success. Our results provide further evidence that telomere length correlates with fitness, and contribute to our understanding of the selection on, and evolution of, telomere dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) multigene family encodes key pathogen‐recognition molecules of the vertebrate adaptive immune system. Hyper‐polymorphism of MHC genes is de novo generated by point mutations, but new haplotypes may also arise by re‐shuffling of existing variation through intra‐ and inter‐locus gene conversion. Although the occurrence of gene conversion at the MHC has been known for decades, we still have limited understanding of its functional importance. Here, I took advantage of extensive genetic resources (~9000 sequences) to investigate broad scale macroevolutionary patterns in gene conversion processes at the MHC across nearly 200 avian species. Gene conversion was found to constitute a universal mechanism in birds, as 83% of species showed footprints of gene conversion at either MHC class and 25% of all allelic variants were attributed to gene conversion. Gene conversion processes were stronger at MHC‐II than MHC‐I, but inter‐specific variation at both MHC classes was explained by similar evolutionary scenarios, reflecting fluctuating selection towards different optima and drift. Gene conversion showed uneven phylogenetic distribution across birds and was driven by gene copy number variation, supporting significant role of inter‐locus gene conversion processes in the evolution of the avian MHC. Finally, MHC gene conversion was stronger in species with fast life histories (high fecundity) and in long‐distance migrants, likely reflecting variation in population sizes and host–pathogen coevolutionary dynamics. The results provide a robust comparative framework for understanding macroevolutionary variation in gene conversion at the avian MHC and reinforce important contribution of this mechanism to functional MHC diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbivorous zooplankton potentially encounter temporal dietary heterogeneity in sterol, an essential group of lipids, over short or long time scales. There are a few studies showing that dietary sterol fluctuation will impact the short-term growth and reproduction of zooplankton, but life histories in response to dietary sterol fluctuation have not been studied. In this study, both short-term physical performances and life tables of the brackish rotifer Brachionus plicatilis were compared at a series of constant dietary cholesterol levels and under a diurnal switching-quality regime (SQ) between low-cholesterol (LQ) and high-cholesterol (HQ) diets. The ingestion rate, short-term reproduction rate and lifetime fecundity were correlated significantly with dietary cholesterol concentration in the Michaelis‒Menten function pattern. The short-term reproduction rate and lifetime fecundity were higher in the SQ treatment than in the nonlinear averaging prediction. Generally, rotifers under the SQ condition exhibited life history traits comparable to those groups under the medium and high cholesterol conditions, as did the cholesterol accumulation in mother rotifers. The maternal allocation of cholesterol per offspring, nevertheless, varied among different food regimes, and the SQ offspring had a higher sterol content than the HQ offspring. It is suggested that diurnal switching dietary cholesterol quality will not decrease the physiological performance of rotifers, unlike predictions based on the nonlinear averaging hypothesis, and the population can maintain their development under diurnal fluctuating dietary sterol conditions. Furthermore, the variable per offspring sterol investment may bear adaptive significance for rotifers under the fluctuating food environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dams are one of the greatest threats to freshwater biodiversity and efforts to remove dams to restore riverine systems are increasing. However, dam‐removal studies have primarily focused on taxonomic responses to large dam removals with little work on the functional trait responses of fish to small‐dam removals; such a focus limits the application of results in regions with different taxonomic compositions.We explored taxonomic and functional trait responses of fish assemblages to two small‐dam removals over 10 years using a Multiple Before After Control Impact design at a dammed and an undammed river. Eight life‐history traits were used to calculate functional diversity (RaoQ) and determine the position of each fish species within a multivariate life‐history space relative to three life‐history strategy endpoints: opportunistic, periodic, and equilibrium. The distance of each species relative to these endpoints was used to calculate community weighted means (CWM), allowing us to examine the shift in life‐history strategy of a given assemblage after dam removal. Based on life‐history theory, we predicted a decrease in the CWM of equilibrium strategists and an increase in the CWM opportunistic strategists after dam removal.For the dammed river, we observed changes in assemblage structure at both the control and impact sites driven primarily by shifts from a lentic to lotic assemblage, with the most apparent change occurring in the formerly impounded sites. These changes tended to occur within 1 year, suggesting rapid colonization by lotic species after habitat change. By contrast, no change in assemblage structure was found for the undammed river, suggesting that dam removal was the primary driver of the shifts in assemblage structure observed in the dammed river. We found no change in the CWM of periodic strategists or RaoQ of all life‐history traits at any site after dam removal.Based on CWM, life‐history strategies shifted in response to dam removal at impounded sites where equilibrium strategists decreased and opportunistic strategists tended to increase after the impounded sites changed from a stable lentic environment to an unstable lotic environment, supporting predictions made by life‐history theory.Our results suggest that small‐dam removal may provide ecological benefits by restoring fish assemblages to a more natural riverine state and reversing the negative effects of dam construction on the ecosystem. We demonstrate that combining both trait‐based and taxonomic approaches can improve our ecological understanding of the impacts of dam removal on fish assemblages and provide relevant data for local management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental effects, or parental phenotypes affecting offspring phenotypes, are widespread across taxa, yet there is significant variation within species regarding which offspring traits are affected. One reason for this observed variation could be the type of sensory cues present in the parental environment. By exposing parents to sensory cues containing different information about the same ecological stressor, we can determine whether information is integrated differently by parents based on cue type, leading to differential trait development in offspring. In this study, we utilized predator cues, which can be found in isolation and in combination in natural settings, to test whether cue type plays a role in differential phenotype expression in Trinidadian guppies, Poecilia reticulata. Parents were exposed to predator cues (visual, olfactory or both combined) over 14 days, after which we assessed life history traits, morphology and activity. Offspring were then raised with no predator cues and tested for morphology and activity in adulthood. No differences in life history traits were observed across 10 weeks. In line with previous findings, behaviour differed in both the parent and F1 generations in response to predator cues; however, effects were dependent on cue type and sex. Our results suggest that exposure to even a single sensory cue is strong enough to initiate a cascade of responses both in parent and F1 generations, and that interacting factors such as cue type and sex lend importance to understanding consequences of parent risk perception for offspring. • Guppy adults were exposed to olfactory, visual or combined predator cues. • Offspring of adults exposed to different sensory cues were raised in freshwater. • Adults differed in behaviour but not life history based on sex and sensory cue type. • Offspring differed in morphology and behaviour based on sex and parental cue type. • Impact of sensory cues across generations may be linked to overall behavioural type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Synthesize literature on genetic structure within species to understand how geographic features and species traits influence past responses to climate change. Location: North America. Time Period: We synthesized phylogeographic studies from 1978 to 2023, which describe genetic lineages that diverged during the Pleistocene (≥11,700 years ago). Major Taxa Studied: Mammals. Methods: We conducted a literature review to map genetic breaks in species distributions, then tested a set of geographic hypotheses (e.g., mountains, rivers) to explain their position by comparing break locations to a grid within each species' sampled range using logistic regression. We then conducted a meta‐analysis using species‐specific model estimates to ask if life‐history traits explained variation in which barriers were most important in species' past response to climate change. Results: Our findings reveal heterogeneity in both where North American mammal phylogeography has been studied and the density of genetic breaks across 229 species. We found relatively high concordance among carnivores, ungulates and lagomorphs, where breaks were associated with mountains, major water bodies and relatively even terrain. In contrast, we found high variability within rodents and shrews, and no evidence that intrinsic factors related to dispersal ability explained the importance of hypothesized barriers across all species. Main Conclusions: Southern Mexico is a hotspot for genetic breaks that has yet to be integrated into the broader story of North American phylogeography. We show that mountains and major water bodies play particularly important roles as barriers, but substantial variation across species within orders suggests that there is more to the story besides shared climatic or phylogenetic histories. Thus, understanding the phylogeography of individual species will continue to be important given that our results suggest high variability in how species may respond to future global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The distribution of within‐species lineages has been affected by Quaternary climate changes, and population differentiation has been influenced by species life history traits. We investigated whether the distribution of individual mitochondrial genetic lineages reflects the constituent species' traits. Using the functionally diverse group of butterflies, we examined which lineages are present in Central Europe, an important suture zone. Location: Czech Republic and Western Palearctic. Taxon: A total of 140 butterfly species. Methods: We sequenced DNA barcodes (cytochrome c oxidase 1) (959 sequences) of the entire Czech Republic butterfly fauna and used Barcoding of Life Data System to visualise the species' biogeographic patterns across Europe. We categorised the distribution patterns of lineages inhabiting the Czech Republic, and used multivariate statistics to interpret these categories by the butterflies' habitats, life history traits and threat levels. Results: Open habitat dwellers with specialist traits belonged to Eastern, Southern and temperate lineages. Habitat generalists and woodland dwellers belonged to the Western lineage, formed several lineages or displayed low genetic diversity; they often developed on woody plants, were large‐winged and had long flight periods. The most threatened species were the specialists of Southern, Eastern and temperate lineages. Main Conclusions: The distribution of lineages in Central Europe reflects the history of Quaternary ecosystems: during cold periods of the Pleistocene, the diverse open habitats prevailed and species could expand westwards. Such species also suffer the most under the current anthropogenic habitat alteration. On the other hand, the mobile generalists and woodland dwellers expanded to Central Europe during the Holocene. Our approach of linking the distribution of lineages with species traits can be transferred to other study systems, and we show that DNA barcoding of under‐sampled areas represents a powerful tool for discovering the driving forces of biogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Investigating the extent of insular invasions by non‐native species (i.e., the number of islands they occupy) is central to island conservation. However, interrelationships among plant life history traits, naturalization histories, and island characteristics in determining island occupancy by non‐native plant species are poorly understood. We investigated whether island occupancy by different non‐native plant species declines in relation to their year of first naturalization and whether periods of first naturalization differ among growth forms, dispersal modes, and biogeographic origins. Then, we asked if non‐native plants that naturalized more recently occur more frequently on islands that are large, less isolated, and close to urban areas. We contrasted trends across growth forms, dispersal modes, and biogeographic origins. Location: 264 offshore islands in northern Aotearoa New Zealand. Taxa: Vascular plant species. Methods: We combined field surveys and published data for 767 non‐native plant species on the islands. We categorized each species according to its growth form (n = 3), dispersal mode (n = 4) and biogeographic origin (n = 5) and identified its year of first naturalization in Aotearoa New Zealand. We tested our hypotheses using ANCOVA and generalized linear models (GLMs). Results: There were similar declines in island occupancy in relation to the year of first naturalization in Aotearoa New Zealand across all trait and biogeographic origin categories. First naturalization times of herbaceous species, those with unspecialized dispersal modes, and those originating from Eurasia and the Mediterranean basin were disproportionately earlier than other categories. Non‐native plants with more recent first naturalization occur more frequently on large islands close to urban areas, but not on less isolated ones. Relationships with island characteristics did not differ among trait and biogeographic origin categories. Main Conclusions: Overall, time of first naturalization was more important than trait and biogeographic origin categories in explaining non‐native plant invasion patterns on islands. Since there were similar relationships between island occupancy and the year of first naturalization in Aotearoa New Zealand for all categories, management bodies should focus on non‐native plant species of trait and biogeographic origin categories that have naturalized recently (e.g., woody species from other regions within Oceania), and on large islands close to urban areas. Introduction and naturalization histories provide essential context for interpreting the role of plant traits and biogeographic origin in understanding plant invasions on islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal food is one of the most important ecological aspects of one species. Studying this factor is fundamental to understanding their life history, microhabitat use, and interactions with other species. Amphibians are an interesting group to understand the food chains because they interact with aquatic and terrestrial environments. Among them, Trachycephalus typhonius is a widespread treefrog in South America but there is still a lack of knowledge about its natural history. Therefore, we described the feeding habits of T. typhonius from a relictual humid forest mountain in Brazilian semiarid. The present study was conducted in the Maranguape mountain, Ceará state, Brazil during the rainy season from April to May 2019. We collected the individuals using visual and auditory searches. Overall, we found 24 specimens of T. typhonius, in which all of them had stomach contents. We identified 11 prey categories, in which coleopterans and orthopterans were the most important prey item for this species' diet. It is also important to point out that plant pieces were found in the stomach of eight individuals, which might suggest a purposeful consumption. Additionally, we found no significant differences regarding the abundance, richness, and composition of prey items consumed by males and females. In contrast, we observed individuals with largest mouth breadth tend to select prey items more volumetric. Overall, our study is the pioneer to investigate the feeding habits of T. typhonius from a montane ecosystem in Brazilian semiarid region and contributes to increasing the knowledge about its natural history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature variation is one of the best‐known and studied factor constraining life history along the altitudinal gradients.Ectotherms such as insects are sensitive to temperature across all life stages, resulting in a wide range of adaptations in populations and species living at different elevations. In butterflies, the egg stage is particularly sensitive to temperature variation as eggs cannot move and deploy behavioural responses to overheating.Using a gradient polymerase chain reaction thermocycler to finely control temperature treatments, we tested for differences in egg heat tolerance between five closely related Coenonympha (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) species living at different elevations.We found strong differences in egg heat tolerance ranges between lowland species (C. arcania (Linnaeus) and C. pamphilus (Linnaeus)) and two high elevation alpine species (C. gardetta (Prunner) and C. cephalidarwiniana Verity). Surprisingly, the third alpine species (C. darwiniana Staudinger) showed a heat tolerance range closer to that of the lowland species than that of alpine species.The sensitivity of eggs to overheating matched the temperature regimes recorded in the microhabitats utilised for oviposition and may explain the oviposition site selection of females observed in the wild.The narrower egg heat tolerance of some of alpine species may partly explain the position of their lower elevational limit but also raises concern about the fate of these species in the face of current climate change.Our results highlight the need to study all life stages, as well as microclimate choice for oviposition, to understand species distribution and the threats to their persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathogen infection and conspecific density may considerably affect key life‐history traits of organisms. For naturally aggregating species, even low concentrations of pathogens or high larval densities may have detrimental effects. However, the detailed influence of these factors, particularly their interaction effect, is often overlooked in ecological and life‐history studies. To investigate the effects of conspecific density and pathogen infection on life‐history traits, we explored the influence of larval density (1 and 5 larvae cm−2, i.e., low and high density, respectively) on phenoloxidase (PO) activity, body mass, and development time of Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae in the presence of two strains of the entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) Beauveria bassiana (Bals.‐Criv.) Vuill. We observed higher PO activity in EPF‐treated larvae than in the untreated control and a pronounced difference in PO activity between the two EPF‐strain treatments. Larvae reared at high density and treated with EPF showed higher PO activity than untreated larvae at low density. The EPF‐treated larvae and larvae reared at high density had longer larval periods than untreated larvae and larvae reared at low density, respectively. Larvae reared at high density also achieved reduced prepupal and pupal masses compared to conspecifics at low density. Interestingly, untreated larvae only achieved higher prepupal and pupal masses at low density, whereas at high density, the pattern was reversed (treated individuals had higher pupal masses). Overall, our results demonstrate that high density and fungal pathogens both induce a higher immune response compared to low density and pathogen‐free environments, but this comes with a cost of a longer larval period and reduced body mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Differences in demographic and environmental niches facilitate plant species coexistence in tropical forests. However, the adaptations that enable species to achieve higher demographic rates (e.g. growth or survival) or occupy unique environmental niches (e.g. waterlogged conditions) remain poorly understood. Anatomical traits may better predict plant environmental and demographic strategies because they are direct measurements of structures involved in these adaptations.We collected 18 leaf and twig traits from 29 tree species in a tropical freshwater swamp forest in Singapore. We estimated demographic parameters of the 29 species from growth and survival models, and degree of association toward swamp habitats. We examined pairwise trait–trait, trait–demography and trait–environment links while controlling for phylogeny.Leaf and twig anatomical traits were better predictors of all demographic parameters than other commonly measured leaf and wood traits. Plants with wider vessels had faster growth rates but lower survival rates. Leaf and spongy mesophyll thickness predicted swamp association.These findings demonstrate the utility of anatomical traits as indicators of plant hydraulic strategies and their links to growth–mortality trade‐offs and waterlogging stress tolerance that underlie species coexistence mechanisms in tropical forest trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the developmental processes and signaling pathways involved in larval myogenesis and metamorphosis is crucial for comprehending the life history and adaptive strategies of marine organisms. In this study, we investigated the temporal and spatial patterns of myogenesis in the mussel Mytilus coruscus (Mc), focusing on the emergence and transformation of major muscle groups during different larval stages. We also explored the role of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway in regulating myogenesis and larval metamorphosis. The results revealed distinct developmental stages characterized by the emergence of specific muscular components, such as velum retractor muscles and anterior adductor muscles, in D-veliger and umbo larvae, which are responsible for the planktonic stage. In the pediveliger stage, posterior ventral, posterior adductor, and foot muscles appeared. After larval metamorphosis, the velum structure and its corresponding retractor muscles degenerate, indicating the transition from planktonic to benthic life. We observed a conserved pattern of larval musculature development and revealed a high degree of conservation across bivalve species, with comparable emergence times during myogenesis. Furthermore, exposure to the Hh signaling inhibitor cyclopamine impaired larval muscle development, reduced larval swimming activity, and inhibited larval metamorphosis in M. coruscus. Cyclopamine-mediated inhibition of Hh signaling led to reduced expression of four key genes within the Hh signaling pathway (McHh , McPtc , McSmo , and McGli) and the striated myosin heavy chain gene (McMHC). It is hypothesised that the abnormal larval muscle development in cyclopamine-treated groups may be an indirect effect due to disrupted McMHC expression. We provide evidence for the first time that cyclopamine treatment inhibited larval metamorphosis in bivalves, highlighting the potential involvement of Hh signaling in mediating larval muscle development and metamorphosis in M. coruscus. The present study provides insights into the dynamic nature of myogenesis and the regulatory role of the Hh signaling pathway during larval development and metamorphosis in M. coruscus. The results obtained in this study contribute to a better understanding of the evolutionary significance of Hh signaling in bivalves and shed light on the mechanisms underlying larval muscle development and metamorphosis in marine invertebrates. [Display omitted] • Studied larval myogenesis with specific muscle emergence and degeneration in Mytilus coruscus. • Identified conserved patterns of larval musculature across bivalve species. • Hh signaling inhibitor cyclopamine inhibited larval muscle development and larval metamorphosis. • Cyclopamine inhibited the expression of key genes within the Hh signaling and a myosin gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaf-mining microlepidopteran, Macrosaccus morrisella (Fitch) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), has emerged as a new pest of soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill (Fabales: Fabaceae), in Canada and the United States, but little is known about its life history traits. Thus, this study was conducted to assess the immature developmental rate of M. morrisella , from egg to adult emergence, on soybean at different temperatures, and the longevity of adults supplied with water and/or honey at different temperatures. The time to 50% emergence of adults was 71.90, 36.33, 24.62, and 17.83 days at 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C, respectively. The lower developmental threshold of M. morrisella was estimated at 8.96 °C, with 425.04 degree-days required for egg-to-adult development. For adult longevity, time to 50% mortality at 25 °C was 15.00, 4.00, and 2.00 days when adults were provided with 25% (v/v) honey–water solution, water, or nothing, respectively. In a follow-up experiment, time to 50% mortality at 25 °C was 24.00, 6.00, 3.00, and 3.00 days when adults were provided with honey and water (offered separately), honey, water, or nothing, respectively, with a synergistic effect when honey and water were offered simultaneously as opposed to honey or water alone. Finally, when fed 25% (v/v) honey–water solution and maintained at 20, 25, and 30 °C, time to 50% mortality of adults was 26.50, 15.00, and 15.00 days. These results inform the understanding of the basic biology of M. morrisella and will help inform the future development of management programs for this insect in soybean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The twisted-wing parasite order (Strepsiptera Kirby, 1813) is difficult to study due to the complexity of strepsipteran life histories, small body sizes, and a lack of accessible distribution data for most species. Here, we present a review of the strepsipteran species known from New York State. We also demonstrate successful collection methods and a survey of species carried out in an old-growth deciduous forest dominated by native New York species (Black Rock Forest, Cornwall, NY) and a private site in the Catskill Mountains (Shandaken, NY). Additionally, we model suitable habitats for Strepsiptera in the United States with species distribution modeling. We base our models on host distribution and climatic variables to inform predictions of where these twisted-wing parasites are likely to be found. This work provides a useful reference for the future collection of Strepsiptera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme heat events commonly occur under climate warming. All life stages of insects may experience the occurrence of extremely high temperatures. However, the effects of short-term extreme heat events on life-history traits remain unclear in most migratory pests. Here, we investigated the biological effects of short-term heat exposure (35 °C for 4 h) at different life stages on Mythimna separata Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a typical migratory pest. We found that the reproductive sensitivity of pupae and adults was higher than that of 3rd-instar larvae. Increasing the frequency of heat exposure decreased the reproductive performance of M. separata at all life stages. Parental short-term heat exposures could cause transgenerational damage to offspring survival and reproductive fitness when the exposure frequency reached 3 times. Our results suggest that short-term exposure to extreme temperatures could impact reproductive fitness across different life stages in M. separata. This should be taken into consideration in the population prediction of migratory pests under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landoltia punctata is an invasive aquatic plant that has spread across the United States. Unlike native duckweeds, this species has developed herbicide resistance. As a result, invasion can lead to high management costs and the loss of recreational areas and natural habitats. The species has been recently found in Europe, and is also approaching the northern US border with Canada. We predicted the potential distribution of L. punctata in western Europe and Canada using presence-only data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility as well as other literature records. We fit predictive models to this data using a Maxent approach. Since climate data based on surface lake water conditions are often more relevant to macrophytes than air temperature metrics, our models included both water and air temperature bioclimatic variables related to the life history of the species. Model comparisons confirmed a superior fit of lake temperatures to duckweed distribution records. The best fit model suggests a high habitat suitability for the species in most Western European countries and Western Canada. A moderate emission scenario suggests that in 2041 currently compatible areas will still be suitable, and that the Great Lakes region will become suitable. Preventive measures to avoid future spread of L. punctata are recommended in these locations to avoid impacts associated with this and similar duckweed species in Europe and the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why offspring size and number vary in diverse ways with adult body size is little understood. In my comparative analysis of animal taxa, I show that age-specific mortality predicts the interspecific body-mass (BM) scaling of offspring (egg, embryo, or neonate) mass (OM) and number per clutch (CS) with striking accuracy. Across six animal taxa, the mean ratio of juvenile to adult mortality (mj/ma) explains 80% and 88% of the variation in BM scaling slopes for OM and CS, respectively. Animal taxa with high parental care and low mj/ma ratios tend to exhibit steeper OM scaling and shallower CS scaling than taxa with low parental care and high mj/ma ratios. Even the curvature of OM scaling in logarithmic space can be predicted approximately by the difference in the BM scaling slopes of juvenile and adult mortality rates. The overall triangular pattern of variation in OM in relation to BM in animals can be understood in terms of body-size dependent variation in mj/ma, as well. These results are explained by an 'age-specific mortality hypothesis', which posits that OM and CS scaling slopes are functions of the relative emphasis of natural selection on offspring versus parental fitness. Therefore, I recommend that future studies of the body-size scaling of life-history traits should include estimates of age-specific mortality. In general, it is becoming clear that a mortality perspective can provide useful insight into many kinds of biological and ecological scaling relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The paper published by Nath et al. (Urban Ecosystems 25:1279–1295, 2022) analyzes the influence of different ecological factors and covariates on House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) abundance but criticizes previous research without explaining in depth the scientific reasons for it and reaches conclusions not supported by the authors' own data nor by existing knowledge and scientific evidence. They state that studies on the impacts of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on birds outside laboratory conditions carried out in the past did not consider other ecological factors that could also influence the life history needs of the species. However, precisely the opposite is true; the studies carried out so far, taking into account most of the possible factors to consider, including urbanization, have not been able to solve the enigma of the House Sparrow decline in many of the world's cities. Thus, it is necessary to propose new possible causes not considered so far. Among the few that remain to be tested is the electromagnetic radiation hypothesis, which was proposed by two independent research teams in two different countries. This paper is a reply of the work developed by Nath et al. (Urban Ecosystems 25:1279–1295, 2022) that highlight their inconclusive results and methodological flaws due to the correlation observed between radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) and urbanization, complement their results showing negative correlations when testing House Sparrow abundance with electromagnetic radiation levels correcting for the percentage of builtup, and clarify some statements and misconceptions (importance of non-thermal effects). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual propagation of corals is a promising strategy for coral restoration, but one of the main challenges is the high mortality of coral spat due to competitive interactions with macroalgae during the early life history stages. Optimising the properties of settlement substrates such as material types and surface roughness has the potential to improve the survival of spat by limiting the recruitment and growth of macroalgae. In this study, we assessed the effects of modifying surface roughness across three different tile materials (alumina-based ceramic, calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and concrete) on the settlement success and post-settlement survivorship of Acropora kenti coral larvae in six mesocosm tanks, each with different established macroalgal communities. The macroalgal community compositions on the tiles were significantly different among material types, but not surface roughness, although the type and abundance of macroalgal species were heavily influenced by the established tank communities. Increasing surface roughness did not affect larval settlement success or spat survivorship. Substantially higher larval settlement density was found on concrete tiles (1.92 ± 0.10 larvae cm−2), but spat survival was the highest on CaCO3 tiles (73.4 ± 4.2% survived). Very strong competitive interactions were observed between spat and macroalgae, with overgrowth by the crustose coralline alga Crustaphytum sp. and the brown alga Lobophora sp. being the primary cause of spat mortality. Overall, when taking into account both settlement and survival rates, concrete was the best performing among the tile types tested here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]