Article
Biology
Victor Aguiar de Souza Penha, Fabricius Maia Chaves Bicalho Domingos, Alan Fecchio, Jeffrey A. Bell, Jason D. Weckstein, Robert E. Ricklefs, Erika Martins Braga, Patricia de Abreu Moreira, Leticia Soares, Steven Latta, Graziela Tolesano-Pascoli, Renata Duarte Alquezar, Kleber Del-Claro, Lilian Tonelli Manica
Summary: Birds use plumage coloration as an important signaling trait in social communication, and sexual dichromatism is usually attributed to female choice. However, plumage coloration is also influenced by other selective pressures such as parasites and life-history traits. This study found that bird species with a higher prevalence of haemosporidian parasites had more pronounced plumage dichromatism, and high plumage coloration complexity in female tanagers was associated with a longer incubation period.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nicole M. Tosto, Emily Rose, Sarah P. Flanagan, Heather D. Mason
Summary: This study developed an algorithm named IDIA to reliably quantify visual sexual signals, and successfully applied it to measure ornamentation in pipefish. The IDIA accurately detected variation in visual signals, and found that environmental factors could influence female pipefish's visual signals. Additionally, the IDIA was used to detect iridescence in male pipefish exposed to synthetic estrogen.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicholas W. Vankuren, Meredith M. Doellman, Sofia Sheikh, Daniela H. Palmer Droguett, Darli Massardo, Marcus R. Kronforst
Summary: Novel phenotypes can evolve by co-opting conserved genes into new developmental contexts, and in this study, the role of co-opted doublesex in butterfly wing color pattern development was characterized. The study revealed dynamic expression pattern differences between mimic and non-mimic butterflies throughout wing development, with a pulse of dsx expression causing differential gene expression particularly in Wnt and Hedgehog signaling pathways. Interestingly, Dsx co-option caused Engrailed, a primary target of Hedgehog signaling, to gain a novel expression domain early in wing development, resulting in the specification of novel mimic patterns.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
James Starrett, Rowan H. McGinley, Eileen A. Hebets, Jason E. Bond
Summary: This study applies a phylogenomic approach to analyze the Nearctic spider genus Schizocosa and discovers that the New World Schizocosa does not form a monophyletic group. It suggests the need to reconsider previous hypotheses of North American species and species groups and establishes a new paradigm for studying the evolution of reproductive communication and mating. The study also reveals a complex pattern of homoplasy and the influence of sexual selection and natural selection on character evolution.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yanyou Jiang, Tianjun Cao, Yuqing Yang, Huan Zhang, Jingyu Zhang, Xiaobo Li
Summary: There is a difference in accessory chlorophyll between marine and terrestrial photosynthesis. We identified the CHLC dioxygenase from the marine diatom as the Chl c synthase, answering a long-standing question in the field.
Article
Business
Sakkakom Maneenop, Chaiyuth Padungsaksawasdi, Sirimon Treepongkaruna
Summary: The goal of sustainable development, which aims to address current needs without compromising resources for future generations, is shared by society. In order to achieve sustainability, companies need to consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in their stakeholder engagement. This study explores the impact of co-opted directors appointed after the incumbent CEO takes office on corporate ESG performance. The findings suggest that firms with co-opted directors tend to have poorer ESG performance, potentially due to weaker governance mechanisms and less incentive for long-term investments.
BUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Business, Finance
Huilin Huang, Seung Hun Han, Kyumin Cho
Summary: This study reveals a positive relationship between board co-option and equity volatility, and high social capital can mitigate managers' risk-taking incentives. The results are robust to alternative measures of social capital.
FINANCE RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Business, Finance
Theophilus Lartey, Albert Danso, Agyenim Boateng
Summary: The study found that co-opted boards have a significant and positive influence on financial leverage, while non-co-opted independent directors have a negative impact on monitoring. Co-opted boards adjust towards target leverage levels faster, leading to an increase in the firm's leverage ratio.
INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
(2021)
Article
Business, Finance
Abdul Ghafoor, Mirzet Seho, Imtiaz Sifat
Summary: This paper examines whether a higher proportion of co-opted board members following a CEO's accession translates to greater climate change-related risk for the firm. Investigating 12,101 US-based firm-year observations from 2001 to 2014, we discover that firms with a higher level of coopted directors face higher climate risk. This conclusion survives a battery of tests addressing reverse causality, omitted variable bias, and sample selection bias. We touch on this result's implications and offer further ideas for advancing the discourse.
FINANCE RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gary Reynolds, Peter Vegh, James Fletcher, Elizabeth F. M. Poyner, Emily Stephenson, Issac Goh, Rachel A. Botting, Ni Huang, Bayanne Olabi, Anna Dubois, David Dixon, Kile Green, Daniel Maunder, Justin Engelbert, Mirjana Efremova, Krzysztof Polanski, Laura Jardine, Claire Jones, Thomas Ness, Dave Horsfall, Jim McGrath, Christopher Carey, Dorin-Mirel Popescu, Simone Webb, Xiao-Nong Wang, Ben Sayer, Jong-Eun Park, Victor A. Negri, Daria Belokhvostova, Magnus D. Lynch, David McDonald, Andrew Filby, Tzachi Hagai, Kerstin B. Meyer, Akhtar Husain, Jonathan Coxhead, Roser Vento-Tormo, Sam Behjati, Steven Lisgo, Alexandra-Chloe Villani, Jaume Bacardit, Philip H. Jones, Edel A. O'Toole, Graham S. Ogg, Neil Rajan, Nick J. Reynolds, Sarah A. Teichmann, Fiona M. Watt, Muzlifah Haniffa
Summary: The skin establishes a complex cellular network early in embryonic development to provide biophysical and immunological protection. The study found an enrichment of innate immune cells in skin during the first trimester, as well as clonal expansion of disease-associated lymphocytes in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Additionally, a reemergence of prenatal vascular endothelial cell and macrophage cellular programs was observed in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis lesional skin.
Review
Biology
Pedro Andrade, Miguel Carneiro
Summary: Pterins, as a major source of animal coloration, have been less studied compared to other pigment classes, despite their ubiquity in nature. With intermediate characteristics between melanins and carotenoids, they present unique opportunities for addressing general questions about the biology of coloration.
Article
Business, Finance
Khine Kyaw, Pongsapak Chindasombatcharoen, Pornsit Jiraporn, Sirimon Treepongkaruna
Summary: This study found that co-opted boards are more likely to adopt LGBT-supportive policies that address internal stakeholders, and management of co-opted boards implementing these policies experience higher compensation increases. However, during the global financial crisis, co-opted boards were less inclined to adopt LGBT-supportive policies.
INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fleur van Eyndhoven, Elissa Z. Cameron, Sarah P. Flanagan
Summary: This study reports courtship displays in the wide-bodied pipefish, a species with extreme sexual dimorphism. Surprisingly, females also use their sex-specific ornament during courtship, while males initiate chasing behaviors in some cases. These findings provide important insights into the potential roles of sexual selection and sexual conflict in shaping sexual dimorphism.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Yusan Yang, Eleanor Grant, Andres Lopez-Sepulcre, Swanne P. Gordon
Summary: Sexual harassment is a common outcome of sexual conflict, and females often change their behaviors to avoid unwanted attention. In Trinidadian guppies, males use either sneak mating behavior or courtship displays as reproductive tactics. In low-predation habitats, males use courtship more and sneak behavior less, and female foraging strategy coevolves with less severe male harassment. Our study found that both sneak behavior and courtship display reduced female foraging, but sneak behavior had a greater effect, particularly on high-predation females.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Thomas C. Summers, Terry J. Ord
Summary: The study found differences in the static allometric patterns generated by sexual selection between aquatic and terrestrial species, with aquatic species constrained by biomechanical limitations on ornament size, leading to limited evolution, while terrestrial species were able to exaggerate the size of their ornaments. These differences in within-population static allometry between aquatic and terrestrial species resulted in a greater evolutionary allometric elevation for terrestrial species compared to aquatic species. This study highlights the complexities in the relationship between static and evolutionary allometries and cautions against interpreting evolutionary allometry without a clear understanding of the underlying static allometries.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Daniel L. Goldberg, Ben M. Sadd, Angelo P. Capparella
Summary: Duetting is a common behavior in birds, but most research has focused on songbirds. This study focuses on rails, a group of birds that include a high percentage of duetting species but are not well-studied. By comparing 103 rail species, the researchers found that duetting is most common in rails that defend territories year-round. Other life history traits and call properties were not strongly associated with duetting. The study suggests that future research on rails will contribute to our understanding of duet evolution in birds.
Article
Ornithology
Daniel L. Goldberg, Toby A. Bassingthwaite, Michael P. Ward, Angelo P. Capparella
WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2020)
Meeting Abstract
Zoology
D. L. Goldberg, T. A. Bassingthwaite, S. Beilke, M. P. Ward, A. P. Capparella
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2020)