Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lengxob Yong, Darren P. Croft, Jolyon Troscianko, Indar W. Ramnarine, Alastair J. Wilson
Summary: The study revisits the repeated evolution of brighter males in the Trinidadian guppy, using a multivariate phenotyping approach and ecologically-relevant colour traits. The findings suggest that reduced predation risk may facilitate adaptive differentiation, potentially through female choice, but this proceeds in independent directions of multitrait space across lineages. Pool-sequencing data also indicate the presence of SNPs showing greater differentiation than expected under neutrality, with some located in genes contributing to colour pattern variation, presenting opportunities for future genetic study.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ainsley Lilias Fraser, Rana El-Sabaawi
Summary: The study aimed to assess morphological trait variation in marine stickleback populations in southern British Columbia and determine the associated oceanographic and habitat characteristics. The researchers found that marine sticklebacks varied morphologically among and between regions and habitats, but the variation did not appear to be related to environmental variation. Sexual dimorphism was the largest source of variation, but oceanographic and habitat variables influenced differences between sexes.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Darrell J. Kemp, David N. Reznick, Jeffrey Arendt, Cedric van den Berg, John A. Endler
Summary: Coloration is a useful tool for studying evolution in nature due to its accessibility in understanding the interaction between genotype, phenotype, and environment. Recent studies have challenged the paradigm established by Endler, which demonstrated that the evolution of male guppy coloration is driven by the balance between mate attractiveness and crypsis. This review addresses the challenges and highlights the important factors, such as variation in female preference, differences in perception by predators and conspecifics, biased assessment of pigmentary and structural coloration, consideration of multi-species predator communities, and the multivariate genetic architecture and context of selection in guppy color patterns.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Rebecca C. Fuller, Katie E. McGhee, Benjamin Sandkam, Matthew Schrader, Joseph Travis
Summary: Research on color variation in male bluefin killifish showed that color variations are mainly attributed to two axes: a red-yellow axis and a blue axis, controlled by genetics and phenotypic plasticity; plasticity variations among populations suggest adaptiveness in some but not in others; plasticity variations among sires in the swamp population indicate balancing selection may be acting on both the red-yellow polymorphism and plasticity for blue coloration.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Josephine R. Paris, James R. Whiting, Mitchel J. Daniel, Joan Ferrer Obiol, Paul J. Parsons, Mijke J. van der Zee, Christopher W. Wheat, Kimberly A. Hughes, Bonnie A. Fraser
Summary: Extreme colour pattern variation in male Trinidadian guppies is influenced by both natural selection and sexual selection. This study found that colour pattern is associated with genetic diversity on an autosome, rather than a 'supergene' on the sex chromosome.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Miguel Calixto-Rojas, Andres Lira-Noriega, Miguel Rubio-Godoy, Gerardo Perez-Ponce de Leon, Carlos D. Pinacho-Pinacho
Summary: The Profundulidae family consists of small-sized fish species distributed between southern Mexico and Honduras, characterized by their ecological niche to understand their biogeographic and evolutionary history. Competitive analysis revealed that ecologically similar species are not necessarily sister species, and Profundulus oaxacae may be a distinct valid species.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Violeta Monserrath Andrade-Gonzalez, Hernan Vazquez-Miranda, Claudia Patricia Ornelas-Garcia, Jose Roberto Sosa-Lopez
Summary: In this study, the researchers examined the variation in morphology, plumage color, and acoustic characteristics of cactus wrens. They found that these traits varied across different geographical regions, supporting the existence of two genetic lineages. The results also showed that color and morphology traits were consistent with Gloger's and Allen's rules, but did not support Bergmann's rule.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Chia-Hao Chang, Julian Catchen, Rachel L. Moran, Angel G. Rivera-Colon, Yu-Chun Wang, Rebecca C. Fuller
Summary: Sensory systems play a crucial role in translating environmental stimuli into internal cues that impact physiology and behavior. Research on the bluefin killifish has identified 9 cone opsins, potentially contributing to increased visual sensitivity in adult individuals. The ontogenetic shift from LWS-R to LWS-1 opsin suggests a potential relationship between spectral sensitivity and sexual selection or foraging preferences in this species.
JOURNAL OF HEREDITY
(2021)
Correction
Parasitology
Fernando Abad-Franch, Fernando A. Monteiro, Marcio G. Pavan, James S. Patterson, M. Dolores Bargues, M. Angeles Zuriaga, Marcelo Aguilar, Charles B. Beard, Santiago Mas-Coma, Michael A. Miles
Summary: An amendment to the paper has been published and can be accessed through the original article.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Floriane Coulmance, Derya Akkaynak, Yann Le Poul, Marc P. Hoeppner, W. Owen McMillan, Oscar Puebla
Summary: Coral reefs are known for their high species diversity, especially the vibrant color patterns displayed by reef fishes. This study focuses on hamlets as a model system to analyze the complex trait of color pattern using a custom underwater camera system and whole-genome sequencing. The results suggest that the diversity of color patterns in hamlets is determined by a modular genomic and phenotypic architecture.
Article
Biology
Cristina Romero-Diaz, Jake A. Pruett, Stephanie M. Campos, Alison G. Ossip-Drahos, J. Jaime Zuniga-Vega, Cuauhcihuatl Vital-Garcia, Diana K. Hews, Emilia P. Martins
Summary: This study found that lizard species that have lost visual signal elements exhibit increased chemosensory behavior when exposed to conspecific scents, while species with visual signal elements did not show this response. Most species displayed increased visual behaviors when interacting with conspecific lizards, indicating a taxonomically widespread aggressive response to visual stimuli. The results suggest that interactions across sensory modalities may influence the evolution of complex signaling phenotypes and impact signal diversity.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhichao Mao, Guangxue Zhang, Hailin Gu, Dingkun Yuan, Maosheng Liu
Summary: Acoustic agglomeration combined with water droplets is an effective solution for eliminating fire smoke, improving efficiency, and ensuring personnel safety.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
M. Kotsidi, G. Gorgolis, M. G. Pastore Carbone, G. Anagnostopoulos, G. Paterakis, G. Poggi, A. Manikas, G. Trakakis, P. Baglioni, C. Galiotis
Summary: Graphene can be used as a transparent protective layer to efficiently protect artworks against color fading, with a protection factor of up to 70%. The graphene veil is reversible and can be removed without causing damage to the artwork, and there is also a contactless graphene-based protection route for artworks with rough surfaces or fragility.
NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Marvin Moosmann, Cameron M. Hudson, Ole Seehausen, Blake Matthews
Summary: Lineages with independent evolutionary histories often differ in both their morphology and diet, but the reasons for dietary divergence are not well understood. This study explores the phenotypic causes of dietary divergence between two divergent lineages of threespine stickleback using common-garden experiments and analyses of foraging traits. The results suggest that dietary divergence arises from differences in both morphology and behaviors related to prey capture success.
Article
Ecology
Monica Paez-Vacas, Daryl R. Trumbo, W. Chris Funk
Summary: The study examined phenotypic and genetic divergence in 35 populations of Epipedobates anthonyi poison frogs along elevational gradients in the Ecuadorian Andes. Despite low genetic divergence, phenotypic divergence was observed and explained by landscape resistance and environmental differences, suggesting both isolation-by-resistance and isolation-by-environment mechanisms. Environmental variation has a dual effect on population divergence, affecting gene flow and selective pressures on phenotypic traits.
Article
Sport Sciences
Andrew H. Hunter, Nicholas M. A. Smith, Thiago Camata, Mathew S. Crowther, Andrew Mather, Nicolau Melo Souza, Luiz Fernando Ramos-Silva, Nerylson Ferraz Pazetto, Felipe A. Moura, Robbie S. Wilson
Summary: The study proposed a testing protocol and normative data to evaluate kicking performance in youth players, aiming to reduce bias caused by physically developed players outperforming smaller ones. Results showed that kicking speed and accuracy were influenced by age, height, weight, and soccer-specific motor control ability. Suggestions were made to focus on motor control in training programs to improve kicking performance.
SCIENCE AND MEDICINE IN FOOTBALL
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Louise S. Norgaard, Mariana Alvarez-Noriega, Elizabeth McGraw, Craig R. White, Dustin J. Marshall
Summary: The distribution and abundance of disease vectors like mosquitoes are changing due to factors such as climate change, invasions, and vector control strategies. Most models currently ignore the nonlinear relationship between wing length and reproduction in mosquitoes, leading to potential biases in population growth estimates. Incorporating hyperallometric relationships in future disease vector models is crucial for accurately predicting changes in mosquito distribution.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Rodolfo O. Anderson, Craig R. White, David G. Chapple, Michael R. Kearney
Summary: This study examines the relationship between physiological traits in lizards and environmental conditions across different spatial scales and finds that microclimatic and biophysical predictors are more explanatory than macroclimatic predictors for most traits. It discovered that standard metabolic rate is negatively related to maximum temperatures while field metabolic rate is positively related to minimum temperatures. The study suggests that using proximal environmental predictors can offer more insights in comparative physiological analyses and help in understanding physiological evolution.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Simon P. Lailvaux, Avdesh Mishra, Pooja Pun, Md Wasi Ul Kabirid, Robbie S. Wilson, Anthony Herrel, Md Tamjidul Hoque
Summary: A machine learning model was developed to accurately predict multivariate performance data from morphology alone, filling the missing data problem in large-scale phenotyping. The study found that phenotypic data alone can predict performance, and incorporating phylogeny did not improve model fit.
Article
Biology
Heidi D. Horrell, Anika Lindeque, Anthony P. Farrell, Roger S. Seymour, Craig R. White, Kayla M. Kruger, Edward P. Snelling
Summary: This meta-study found that cardiac capillary numerical density and mitochondrial volume density decrease with increasing body mass. The scaling trajectories suggest quantitative matching between the supply and consumption of oxygen in the heart, supporting the economic design at the cellular level. However, the exponent for the maximum external mechanical power of the cardiac tissue decreases at a slower rate, implying a declining external mechanical efficiency of the heart with increasing body mass.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Steven J. Portugal, Craig R. White
Summary: The study found that animal-borne logging devices can impact the body weight and energy budget of animals, and it is important to consider device size and attachment time when using biologging technology.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Emily L. Richardson, Craig R. White, Dustin J. Marshall
Summary: The study examines the growth rate and mass changes during larval stages and metamorphosis across various taxa. It finds support for Werner's assumption regarding growth rates but contradicts the assumption that body size remains constant during transitions. The research suggests that mass changes profoundly affect the timing of transitions, emphasizing the need to consider the impact of mass loss or gain on fitness.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Andrew H. Hunter, Theodore P. Pavlic, Michael J. Angilletta, Robbie S. Wilson
Summary: This study presents a model that takes shooting inaccuracy into account and predicts the probability of success for all shooting strategies. The research finds that the optimal shooting strategy varies for different types of goalkeepers.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2022)
Article
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Andrew H. Hunter, Nicholas M. A. Smith, Thiago Camata, Mathew S. Crowther, Andrew Mather, Felipe A. Moura, Paulo Roberto Pereira Santiago, Robbie S. Wilson
Summary: Research suggests that younger athletes born later in the year may be more technically skilled than their older peers, even though older athletes are often selected for elite training academies due to their physical development.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCE & COACHING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Craig R. White, Lesley A. Alton, Candice L. Bywater, Emily J. Lombardi, Dustin J. Marshall
Summary: Organisms use energy for growth and reproduction, and metabolism, growth, and reproduction are tightly linked, determining fitness. Our model predicts that anthropogenic change will have detrimental effects on the metabolism, growth, and reproduction of animals.
Article
Biology
Craig R. White, Dustin J. Marshall
Summary: Constraint-based explanations have dominated theories of size-related patterns in nature. However, we propose a new theory that predicts metabolic allometry arises as a consequence of the optimization of growth and reproduction to maximize fitness within a finite life. Our theory is free of physical geometric constraints and suggests that metabolic allometry can be explained without invoking traditionally assumed constraints.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Craig R. White, Lesley A. Alton, Candice L. Bywater, Emily J. Lombardi, Dustin J. Marshall
Summary: Froese and Pauly argue that our model contradicts the observation that fish reproduce before their growth rate decreases. Kearney and Jusup show that our model incompletely describes growth and reproduction for some species. Here, we discuss the costs of reproduction, the relationship between reproduction and growth, and propose tests of models based on optimality and constraint.
Article
Ecology
Rodolfo O. Anderson, Reid Tingley, Conrad J. Hoskin, Craig R. White, David G. Chapple
Summary: Climate has a significant impact on animal physiology, which in turn affects geographic distributions. However, the mechanisms connecting climate, physiology, and distribution are not fully understood.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Madeleine J. De Jong, Lesley A. Alton, Craig R. White, Moira K. O'Bryan, David G. Chapple, Bob B. M. Wong
Summary: Incubation temperature has lasting effects on growth, locomotor performance, and metabolic rate of skink offspring. Cool and hot incubation temperatures result in faster growth and larger maximum size, while hot incubation temperatures reduce locomotor performance. Effects on metabolic rate are present in sub-adults, with higher rates in cool-incubated lizards. Additionally, cool and hot incubation treatments result in shorter sperm midpieces and heads.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Physiology
Craig R. White, Dustin J. Marshall
Summary: Most explanations for the relationship between body size and metabolism are based on physical constraints, which limit their predictive capacity. Contemporary approaches to studying metabolic rate and life history need more pluralism.