Tag: animal physiological ecology

animal physiological ecology

Seeking a ‘just right’ site for the Western Swamp Turtle

Siobhan Paget, Adrian C. Gleiss, Gerald Kuchling, Nicola J. Mitchell This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. The western swamp turtle is a critically endangered freshwater turtle from Western Australia, and one of the world’s rarest reptiles. Swamp turtles occupy seasonal wetlands that fill in winter, during which time turtles are active and feed. In … Continue reading Seeking a ‘just right’ site for the Western Swamp Turtle

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
animal physiological ecology

Warming undermines emergence success in a threatened alpine stonefly: A multi-trait perspective on vulnerability to climate change

Alisha A. Shah, Scott Hotaling, Anthony B. Lapsansky, Rachel L. Malison, Jackson H. Birrell, Tylor Keeley, J. Joseph Giersch, Lusha M. Tronstad, H. Arthur Woods This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. In high mountain regions worldwide, climate change is causing rapid recession of glaciers. Downstream, these changes are altering patterns of water flow and … Continue reading Warming undermines emergence success in a threatened alpine stonefly: A multi-trait perspective on vulnerability to climate change

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
animal physiological ecology

Cell size is more important in conditions of limited oxygen

Félix P. Leiva, Jeroen G.J. Boerrigter, Wilco C.E.P. Verberk This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Ectotherms whose functioning depends on the ambient temperature-represent about 99% of species worldwide. Warming and low oxygen availability cause ectotherms to mature at a smaller body size, but what causes this phenomenon is still unknown. Understanding the drivers of … Continue reading Cell size is more important in conditions of limited oxygen

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
animal physiological ecology

Temperature and resource availability influence body size in North American bats

Jesse M. Alston, Douglas A. Keinath, Craig K.R. Willis, Cori L. Lausen, Joy M. O’Keefe, Janet D. Tyburec, Hugh G. Broders, Paul R. Moosman, Timothy C. Carter, Carol L. Chambers, Erin H. Gillam, Keith Geluso, Theodore J. Weller, Douglas W. Burles, Quinn E. Fletcher, Kaleigh J.O. Norquay, Jacob R. Goheen This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be … Continue reading Temperature and resource availability influence body size in North American bats

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
animal physiological ecology, Pespectives

Rhythmic bacteria: How measuring daily oscillations of the gut microbiome can help us understand its function

Alice Risely, Dominik Schmid, Pablo Capilla-Lasheras, Davide Dominoni, Nadine Müller-Klein, Simone Sommer This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology perspective which can be found here. Seasonal rhythms in animal physiology and ecology are well understood (e.g., bird migration or seasonal reproduction). In contrast, daily (circadian) rhythms in animal physiology, behaviour and species interactions are often subtler and require advanced methods such as … Continue reading Rhythmic bacteria: How measuring daily oscillations of the gut microbiome can help us understand its function

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
animal physiological ecology

Phenotypic plasticity in desiccation physiology of geographically range restricted and broadly distributed fruit fly species

Henrika J. Bosua, Christopher W. Weldon, John S. Terblanche This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. There is pronounced geographic range size variation even among closely related terrestrial insect species. Such variation in species’ geographic distributions may result from differences in physiological traits, such as the ability to withstand dry conditions (also known as ‘desiccation … Continue reading Phenotypic plasticity in desiccation physiology of geographically range restricted and broadly distributed fruit fly species

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
animal physiological ecology

Nomadic birds depart with moderate—but not large—fuel stores

Joely G. DeSimone, Beverly S. Domschot, Megan A. Fylling, William M. Blake, Creagh W. Breuner This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here.               Migration is a common animal behavior, allowing animals to track food sources that vary across time and space. Many birds migrate seasonally—breeding in the north and spending the non-breeding season to the … Continue reading Nomadic birds depart with moderate—but not large—fuel stores

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
animal physiological ecology

Water flow in which adult fish live and where offspring grow can affect the body shape and survival of their offspring

Daphne Cortese, Amélie Crespel, Suzanne Mills, Tommy Norin, Shaun Killen, Ricardo Beldade This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which is published here. Animals live in environments in which many factors may differ, and often the environments of parents and their offspring are not the same. This is especially true in the marine realm, where many animals, including fish, have … Continue reading Water flow in which adult fish live and where offspring grow can affect the body shape and survival of their offspring

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
animal physiological ecology

Reduced lean mass and delays in resuming bird migration

Mariamar Gutierrez Ramirez, Michael S. Griego, Joely G. DeSimone, Cory R. Elowe, Alexander R. Gerson This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Every spring, billions of birds depart their non-breeding grounds in Central and South America and fly non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico to return to their breeding grounds in North America. After such … Continue reading Reduced lean mass and delays in resuming bird migration

Functional EcologyLeave a comment
animal physiological ecology, Reviews

The effect of diet on melanin pigmentation

Sarah Britton and Goggy Davidowitz This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology review article which can be found here. Melanin is a common pigment that is found in many types of external animal tissue including skin, fur, hair, feathers, and cuticle. This pigment can create coloration that ranges from gray and black to tan and yellow. Across the animal kingdom melanin is … Continue reading The effect of diet on melanin pigmentation

Functional EcologyLeave a comment