Tag: evolution

animal physiological ecology

Dietary restriction extends lifespan across different temperatures in the fruit fly

Eleanor J Phillips, Mirre J P Simons This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Restricting food intake extends lifespan across species, termed dietary restriction. Despite a lot of research into the physiology of dietary restriction, we have not fully pinpointed the underlying mechanisms nor the precise components of the diet responsible. Moreover, we still do … Continue reading Dietary restriction extends lifespan across different temperatures in the fruit fly

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evolutionary ecology, Reviews

Vertebrate bone content and its impact on ecosystems

Emily M. May, Rana W. El-Sabaawi This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology review article which can be found here.   Bone is an important part of the vertebrate body, serving fundamental roles in structure, support, locomotion, and mineral storage as well as more specialized roles in reproduction (e.g. antlers) and defence (e.g. bony spines). In addition to these within-organism roles, bone can … Continue reading Vertebrate bone content and its impact on ecosystems

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evolutionary ecology

The springbok mantis develops a brown or green colour to match its surroundings

Nathan W. Burke and Gregory Holwell This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Camouflage is crucial for survival. Many insects have evolved to avoid predators by matching their body colour to the green or brown colouration of their habitat. But body colour within a species isn’t always consistent. Sometimes both green and brown individuals, or … Continue reading The springbok mantis develops a brown or green colour to match its surroundings

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evolutionary ecology

Why does temperature determine sex in alligators?

Samantha L. Bock, Yeraldi Loera, Josiah M. Johnson, Christopher R. Smaga, David L. Haskins, Tracey D. Tuberville, Randeep Singh, Thomas R. Rainwater, Philip M. Wilkinson, Benjamin B. Parrott This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. The temperature an animal experiences during development can determine whether it becomes male or female in many reptiles and fishes. … Continue reading Why does temperature determine sex in alligators?

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Fire as a dynamic ecological and evolutionary force, Special Features

The eco-evolutionary role of fire in shaping terrestrial ecosystems

Fernanda Santos, Joseph K. Bailey, Jennifer A. Schweitzer This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Plants and animals have co-existed and evolved with fire for millennia. As climate continues to rapidly change around us and fire increases worldwide, biodiversity will likely evolve new adaptations in response to such changes. However, the evolutionary pressure of fire … Continue reading The eco-evolutionary role of fire in shaping terrestrial ecosystems

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evolutionary ecology

Variation in morphology, locomotion, and survival in developing aquatic frogs

Chase T Kinsey, Olivia Mcnelly, William Bridges, Richard W Blob This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Adult frogs are generally considered excellent swimmers by using their hind legs to propel themselves through the water to escape from predators. Young tadpoles are also excellent swimmers, though the method of propulsion is with their tail as … Continue reading Variation in morphology, locomotion, and survival in developing aquatic frogs

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community ecology

Setting the stage for the arms race

Anthony L. Gilbert, Savanna Cabrera, Michael T. J. Hague, Amber N. Stokes, Chris R. Feldman, Charles T. Hanifin, Edmund D. Brodie Jr., Edmund D. Brodie III This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. For over 30 years, the coevolutionary arms race between toxic newts (Taricha granulosa) and the garter snakes that eat them (Thamnophis sirtalis) … Continue reading Setting the stage for the arms race

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evolutionary ecology

Selection can be influenced by variation in local densities through space and across development

Jessie Mutzand Brian D. Inouye This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Interactions among species, such as predation or competition, often depend on how many individual organisms occur at a small spatial scale – their local density. These interactions can in turn favor certain traits. For example, when local density is high and there is … Continue reading Selection can be influenced by variation in local densities through space and across development

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evolutionary ecology

How red-flowered species in the Mediterranean Basin lure (almost) red-blind pollinators

Melissa León-Osper, Eduardo Narbona This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Plants show a variety of flower traits such as colour, scent, shape, and size to attract pollinators. In particular, the colour acts as a lure for pollinators, facilitating flower detectability and plant reproduction. In this study, we focus on red-flowered species from the Mediterranean … Continue reading How red-flowered species in the Mediterranean Basin lure (almost) red-blind pollinators

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evolutionary ecology

Effect of water availability on volatile-mediated communication between potato plants in response to insect herbivory

Carla Vázquez-González, Laura Pombo-Salinas, Lucía Martín-Cacheda, Sergio Rasmann, Gregory Röder, Luis Abdala-Roberts, Kailen A. Mooney, Xoaquín Moreira This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Plants can perceive and respond to complex blends of above- or belowground volatile organic compounds (‘VOCs’) emitted by herbivore-damaged neighbours, a phenomenon termed ‘plant communication’. Such chemical cues act as warning … Continue reading Effect of water availability on volatile-mediated communication between potato plants in response to insect herbivory

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