Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alice Monnier-Corbel, Anne-Christine Monnet, Leo Bacon, Blas M. Benito, Alexandre Robert, Yves Hingrat
Summary: The study indicates that reproductive success of North African Houbara bustard is negatively impacted by local densities, with this relationship remaining constant over time and space and not varying with habitat quality.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Iliana Medina, Daniela Perez, Ana C. Afonso Silva, Justin Cally, Constanza Leon, Odile Maliet, Ignacio Quintero
Summary: Nest architecture is linked to a species' habitat and has implications for its range, adaptability, and extinction rate. Domed nests take more time to be built and are associated with smaller ranges, lower adaptability in urban environments, and potentially higher extinction rates.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jesus Gomez, Oscar Gordo, Piotr Minias
Summary: Birds use egg features as visual identity signals for individual recognition, with machine learning algorithms showing that eggs have the ability to be correctly classified into corresponding clutches based on their external appearance. The study suggests that birds may use multiple traits for egg recognition, with key variables demonstrating high repeatability and improving algorithm classification with more training eggs added. This highlights how signalers enhance their recognisability through specific signature cues.
Article
Ecology
Xiaodong Rao, Jialing Li, Binbin He, Hesheng Wang, Guanmian Wu, Tiantian Teng, Qingping Ling
Summary: Breeding success is crucial for avian fecundity and is limited by nest predation. Understanding nest predation and its influencing factors is important for bird population dynamics and conservation strategies. A study in two nature reserves in Hainan, China found that the breeding season of the red junglefowl occurs mainly from March to July, with a peak in April. Predation accounted for 45.4% of nest failure, with rodent, reptile, and coucal predation being the main contributors. Artificial nest experiments showed varying predation rates, suggesting the importance of considering the impacts of certain animal species on the breeding success of red junglefowl.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Rita Fortuna, Matthieu Paquet, Andre C. Ferreira, Liliana R. Silva, Franck Theron, Claire Doutrelant, Rita Covas
Summary: The study on sociable weavers suggests that females can adjust clutch size but show high individual consistency in egg mass. While breeding in different ecological conditions, females may alter clutch size but do not necessarily adjust egg mass based on the number of helpers.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Karim Loucif, Mohamed Cherif Maazi, Moussa Houhamdi, Haroun Chenchouni
Summary: The study on the breeding biology of Ferruginous Ducks in the Tonga Lake Nature Reserve revealed that nest size is influenced by wetland environmental variables, with nest abandonment being the main cause of breeding failure. Breeding success is associated with nest site selection and conspecific nest density.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Marcel M. Lambrechts, Samuel P. Caro
Summary: Birds have developed adaptive responses to changes in ambient temperature, and the thickness of the nest and the surrounding wall play a role in regulating egg cooling, ensuring successful incubation.
JOURNAL OF THERMAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Longwu Wang, Gangbin He, Canchao Yang, Anders Pape Moller, Wei Liang
Summary: The study found that female common cuckoos prefer large host nests for parasitism and parasitism was more common when larger, higher, and more exposed host nests were available. These results suggest that nest size and location play a role in the probability of cuckoo parasitism.
Article
Ornithology
Jonas Rafael Rodrigues Rosoni, Carla Suertegaray Fontana, Caio Jose Carlos
Summary: This study examined the breeding ecology of the Chestnut Seedeater in southeast South America. The researchers investigated clutch size, productivity, nestling sex ratio, and nest success. They found a relationship between environmental variables and the number of active nests, and the sex ratio of nestlings did not deviate from the expected ratio. Nest success was 31%, with predation being the leading cause of nest failure. The starting date was the main predictor of nest survival.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Derya Akkaynak, Mary Caswell Stoddard
Summary: In this study, the researchers investigated whether cuckoo eggs are well matched to host eggs in size and shape. They found that while host bird species showed some variation in egg size and shape, different cuckoo host-races laid eggs that were similar in size and shape. The researchers concluded that cuckoo females have not evolved egg size or shape mimicry, and alternative explanations for egg shape similarity include biophysical constraints and selection for incubation efficiency.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Noemie Engel, Grant McDonald, Brett K. Sandercock, Romy Rice, Rocio Moreno, Sara Ratao, Tamas Szekely
Summary: Tropical islands, including Maio in Cabo Verde, are home to a significant number of endemic species. However, increasing threats such as habitat loss, disturbance, and introduced predators have put these species at risk, making long-term demographic studies essential. A 13-year investigation of Kentish plover nests on Maio revealed that nest survival differed between habitats, with salt-extraction areas showing higher survival rates. Breeding densities and nest survival of the plovers have declined over the years, likely due to predation and human disturbance. To ensure the persistence of this population, conservation efforts should include traditional management practices and predator control on tropical islands.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Roberto Sanchez Mateos, Freddy Gallo-Viracocha
Summary: This study provides previously unknown information about the reproductive ecology of the Andean Condor, including the minimum distances between nest sites, breeding success, and the use of nesting cliffs. The findings emphasize the critical role of cliffs in the conservation and survival of the Andean Condor, highlighting the need for urgent management actions.
ACTA ORNITHOLOGICA
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Diego Gallego, Jose H. Sarasola
Summary: The study tested the utility of drones in examining nesting status of endangered birds, showing that drone monitoring significantly reduced disturbance levels and was three times faster compared to traditional methods without negative effects on bird reproductive success.
REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Review
Biology
Wei-Guo Du, Shu-Ran Li, Bao-Jun Sun, Richard Shine
Summary: A range of abiotic parameters within a reptile nest influence the viability and attributes of hatchlings. Reproducing females can manipulate the attributes of their offspring by laying eggs at specific times and places. Climate change has the potential to dramatically modify the developmental trajectories and survival rates of embryos, and the phenotypes of hatchlings, by altering thermal and hydric conditions in reptile nests.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Editorial Material
Behavioral Sciences
Raphael Igor Dias, Debora Goedert
Summary: The study found that in Campo flickers, helpers removed proportionally more faecal sacs than breeders, with male helpers mainly responsible for this activity. This behavior pattern differs from the traditional notion that females are primarily responsible for nest sanitation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rowan D. H. Barrett, Stefan Laurent, Ricardo Mallarino, Susanne P. Pfeifer, Charles C. Y. Xu, Matthieu Foll, Kazumasa Wakamatsu, Jonathan S. Duke-Cohan, Jeffrey D. Jensen, Hopi E. Hoekstra
Article
Ecology
Emmanuel Corse, Christelle Tougard, Gait Archambaud-Suard, Jean-Francois Agnese, Francoise D. Messu Mandeng, Charles F. Bilong Bilong, David Duneau, Lucie Zinger, Remi Chappaz, Charles C. Y. Xu, Emese Meglecz, Vincent Dubut
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2019)
Article
Biology
Jan Axtner, Alex Crampton-Platt, Lisa A. Hoerig, Azlan Mohamed, Charles C. Y. Xu, Douglas W. Yu, Andreas Wilting
Article
Ecology
Vincent Fugere, Marie-Pier Hebert, Naila Barbosa Da Costa, Charles C. Y. Xu, Rowan D. H. Barrett, Beatrix E. Beisner, Graham Bell, Gregor F. Fussmann, B. Jesse Shapiro, Viviane Yargeau, Andrew Gonzalez
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Entomology
Meredith M. Doellman, Glen R. Hood, Jacob Gersfeld, Amanda Driscoe, Charles C. Y. Xu, Ryan N. Sheehy, Noah Holmes, Wee L. Yee, Jeffrey L. Feder
ANNALS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Amin Ashkoo, Seyed Mehdi Amininasab, Rasool Zamani-Ahmadmahmoodi
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Naila Barbosa da Costa, Vincent Fugere, Marie-Pier Hebert, Charles C. Y. Xu, Rowan D. H. Barrett, Beatrix E. Beisner, Graham Bell, Viviane Yargeau, Gregor F. Fussmann, Andrew Gonzalez, B. Jesse Shapiro
Summary: This study examined the resistance and resilience of bacterioplankton communities to common pesticides, showing that high doses of glyphosate altered community structure while maintaining functional redundancy. Communities exhibited resilience at broad taxonomic levels, but not at finer taxonomic resolution. Long-term impacts of glyphosate at finer taxonomic levels require further investigation.
Editorial Material
Ecology
Jessica Ford, Nathalie Jreidini, Kirsten E. Crandall, Sarah Sanderson, Charles C. Y. Xu
Summary: Representation is crucial in building inclusive communities in STEMM fields. The student-driven initiative of STEMM Diversity at McGill University aims to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion, and the lessons learned from its development can guide others in creating their own initiatives.
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yinqiu Ji, Christopher C. M. Baker, Viorel D. Popescu, Jiaxin Wang, Chunying Wu, Zhengyang Wang, Yuanheng Li, Lin Wang, Chaolang Hua, Zhongxing Yang, Chunyan Yang, Charles C. Y. Xu, Alex Diana, Qingzhong Wen, Naomi E. Pierce, Douglas W. Yu
Summary: This study estimated the distribution of vertebrates in the Ailaoshan reserve in China using environmental DNA from leeches. The researchers found that species richness is related to elevation and distance to the reserve edge.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Seyed Mehdi Amininasab, Seyed Masoud Hosseini-Moosavi, Charles C. Y. Xu
Summary: Understanding the factors that influence avian reproductive output is critical for bird conservation. A study on the little bittern in Iran found that nest diameter positively affects breeding success, with larger nests more likely to produce fledglings.
AVIAN BIOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marisa C. W. Lim, Anton Seimon, Batya Nightingale, Charles C. Y. Xu, Stephan R. P. Halloy, Adam J. Solon, Nicholas B. Dragone, Steven K. Schmidt, Alex Tait, Sandra Elvin, Aurora C. Elmore, Tracie A. Seimon
Summary: Species composition in high-alpine ecosystems can be used as an indicator for monitoring climate and environmental changes. Using eDNA analysis, researchers documented the biodiversity present on Mount Everest, identifying taxa from 36 phyla and 187 potential orders. This inventory provides valuable information for future monitoring and studies on the impact of climate change and anthropogenic influences on this unique ecosystem.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carol S. Henger, Dyan J. Straughan, Charles C. Y. Xu, Batya R. Nightingale, Heidi E. Kretser, Mary K. Burnham-Curtis, Denise McAloose, Tracie A. Seimon
Summary: All species of big cats are protected under international regulations due to population declines caused by poaching and illegal trade in their products. A rapid qPCR test has been developed to identify and differentiate DNA from six big cat species in wildlife products, with high efficiency, sensitivity, and specificity. This test can be used as a screening method to combat illegal trade in big cats, benefiting their conservation efforts globally.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Charles C. Y. Xu, Claire Ramsay, Mitra Cowan, Mehrnoush Dehghani, Paul Lasko, Rowan D. H. Barrett
Summary: The study demonstrates that simple and non-invasive environmental DNA (eDNA) methods can be used to detect transgenes of genetically modified (GM) animals in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. With the rapid advancement of genome-editing technologies like CRISPR, there will be a significant increase in the prevalence and diversity of GM animals, highlighting the importance of sensitive and cost-effective detection methods like eDNA.