Article
Ecology
Thibaut Barra, Vincent A. Viblanc, Claire Saraux, Jan O. Murie, F. Stephen Dobson
Summary: It has been found that mothers in better physical condition tend to produce male offspring, while those in worse condition tend to produce female offspring. Competitive interactions within families and relative maternal condition both influence the offspring sex ratio, with no strong support for any single-factor model.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Ryosuke Iritani, Stuart A. West, Jun Abe
Summary: Hamilton's theory of local mate competition explains female-biased sex ratios in various organisms, but in some wasp species, the bias is more extreme than predicted. Research shows that cooperation between related females can result in even more female-biased sex ratios, especially when cooperation occurs between mothers and offspring before dispersal. This suggests that additional factors, such as cooperative interactions, play a role in determining sex ratio biases in certain species.
Article
Biology
Kalyani Z. Twyman, Andy Gardner
Summary: This article investigates how kin selection drives the evolution of dormancy and how dormancy modulates the evolution of altruism. The study finds that kin selection favors dormancy as a means of reducing competition between relatives, and when individuals can adjust their dormancy behavior based on local density, there is more dormancy in high-density neighborhoods and a corresponding 'constant non-dormant principle'.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Justus Wilhelm Fink, Noelle A. Held, Michael Manhart
Summary: The growth rate of a microbial population in response to the availability of chemical nutrients and resources can vary greatly. To explain this variation, researchers developed an evolutionary model and found that population dynamics play a crucial role in determining the adaptation of half-saturation concentrations. These findings provide testable predictions for laboratory experiments and highlight how an organism's environment may not fully reflect its evolved half-saturation concentration.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nikolas Galli, Davide Danilo Chiarelli, Manuel D'Angelo, Maria Cristina Rulli
Summary: Despite the Democratic Republic of the Congo's richness in natural resources, the impact of diamond mining remains significant, affecting ecology, economy, and society. Resources and efforts currently put into the mining industry may have the potential to alleviate the malnourishment crisis in DRC if diverted towards the construction of a more structured and resilient food system.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Andrea Romano, Michelangelo Morganti, Giacomo Assandri, Gaia Bazzi, Alejandro Corregidor-Castro, Jennifer Morinay, Jacopo G. Cecere, Andrea Pilastro, Diego Rubolini
Summary: This study tested the kin selection theory in nestlings of the lesser kestrel and found that nestlings stole prey more frequently when competing with unrelated, unfamiliar competitors than when competing with siblings. This suggests that relatedness may influence within-brood competition and implies that kin recognition and kin selection play important roles in determining individual competitive strategies and care allocation in multiparous species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jun Abe, Ryosuke Iritani, Koji Tsuchida, Yoshitaka Kamimura, Stuart A. West
Summary: Melittobia australica females exhibit a sophisticated sex ratio behavior, producing consistently female-biased offspring sex ratios when they have not dispersed and adjusting their sex ratio based on the number of females laying eggs when they have dispersed. This indicates that dispersal status serves as an indirect cue for relatedness and influences their sex ratio adjustments.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Niels P. R. Anten, Bin J. W. Chen
Summary: The phenomenon of kin recognition in plants can have significant implications for the evolution of plant traits, diversity of plant populations, ecological networks, and community structures. Kin selection may result in improved population performance, offering potential promise for crop breeding.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Stefan Fischer, Callum Duffield, Amanda J. Davidson, Rhiannon Bolton, Jane L. Hurst, Paula Stockley
Summary: Female reproductive success is limited by resource access and leads to social competition. This study manipulated the social environment of house mice to investigate the reproductive costs of resource defense and whether relatedness influences cooperative behavior. Results showed that resource defense was costly for females, leading to smaller offspring, but relatedness did not affect the propensity for kin cooperation. This study highlights that female competition has fitness costs and associating with kin helps avoid negative fitness consequences of competing with nonkin.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Lea Prox, Claudia Fichtel, Peter M. M. Kappeler
Summary: Despite the long history of sexual selection theory, little is known about the drivers and mechanisms of female sexual selection. Through studying redfronted lemurs, researchers found that female lemurs target close female kin for eviction, suggesting a balanced interplay between sexual selection and kin selection in female competition.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Simon Vitt, Rieke F. Schons, Alexander J. R. Keller, Timo Thuenken
Summary: This study investigates the impact of inbreeding on the social behavior of fish groups. It finds that inbred sibling groups have different shoaling characteristics, including shorter activity distance and faster recovery ability.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Rutger Hermsen
Summary: Theories on the origins of altruistic behavior and its evolution have a long history and are still not fully understood. This study presents a simple individual-based model where altruistic organisms spontaneously form spatially separated colonies that reproduce and function as Darwinian entities. The results reveal that altruism persists in the population as more altruistic colonies reproduce more frequently and drive less altruistic ones to extinction.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Chedhawat Chokechaipaisarn, Andy Gardner
Summary: The optimal sex ratio is predicted to be completely independent of the rate of dispersal, and individual's dispersion behavior adjustment according to local population density promotes the evolution of female-biased sex allocation.
Article
Biology
Irith Aloni, Amiyaal Ilany
Summary: The unique social system of spotted hyenas may inhibit the establishment of beneficial mutations, but this negative effect can potentially be counteracted by females' random choice of mates.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Limei Dong, Yiming Li, Junfeng Li, Yihao Guan, Xiuping Chen, Dan Zhang, Zhining Wang
Summary: A novel functional composite phase change material (PCM) with in situ heating feature and emulsification capability was proposed to address the problem of low fluidity of high-viscosity oil. This composite PCM, consisting of mesoporous carbon hollow spheres (MCHS) and polyethylene glycol (PEG), exhibited excellent photothermal conversion ability, thermal conductivity, and Pickering emulsification.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Darren Southwell, Sarah Legge, John Woinarski, David Lindenmayer, Tyrone Lavery, Brendan Wintle
Summary: This article discusses the impact of the 2019-2020 fires in Australia on threatened species and considerations for emergency survey design, emphasizing the urgency and complexity of post-wildfire surveys.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Belinda A. Wilson, Maldwyn J. Evans, Iain J. Gordon, Sam C. Banks, William G. Batson, Claire Wimpenny, Jenny Newport, Adrian D. Manning
Summary: This study investigates the predictive role of behavioral measures in reintroduction success and identifies personality and plasticity factors associated with postrelease survival and dispersal. The study recommends proactive and rigid founders for initial reintroductions and reactive and plastic founders for later translocations. The findings highlight the value of innovative behavioral assays as a conservation tool for achieving successful reintroductions.
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexandro B. Leverkus, Simon Thorn, David B. Lindenmayer, Juli G. Pausas
Article
Ecology
David Lindenmayer, Lachlan McBurney, Wade Blanchard
Summary: Large quantities of dead wood generated by disturbances like wildfires play critical ecological roles in forest ecosystems globally. A 10-year study in southeastern Australia revealed that 23% of measured trees collapsed between 2011 and 2021, with smaller diameter trees and trees in fragmented patches being more prone to collapse. The potential loss of dead trees by 2030 could have major negative effects on biodiversity conservation in ash-type forests.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Stephen G. Kearney, James E. M. Watson, April E. Reside, Diana O. Fisher, Martine Maron, Tim S. Doherty, Sarah M. Legge, John C. Z. Woinarski, Stephen T. Garnett, Brendan A. Wintle, Euan G. Ritchie, Don A. Driscoll, David Lindenmayer, Vanessa M. Adams, Michelle S. Ward, Josie Carwardine
Summary: Earth's extinction crisis is worsening and threat classification schemes are crucial for assessing the drivers and threats causing species declines. However, there is a lack of a complementary framework for evaluating the conservation responses needed to reduce these threats. In this study, an expert-driven threat-abatement framework was developed and applied to 1532 threatened species in Australia, highlighting the importance of retaining and restoring habitat, controlling invasive species and diseases, and improving fire management for species recovery. Integrated management responses are necessary for the survival and recovery of most species.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Forestry
David B. Lindenmayer, Marta Yebra, Geoffrey J. Cary
Summary: Plantations of trees are important for wood supply but also pose fire risks. Greater consideration of fire risks in planning is needed, including the choice of tree species and their placement based on climatic and environmental factors. Other factors like landscape configuration and new technologies for fire detection and suppression should also be considered. Better planning and management of wildfires in plantations is essential due to their significance and potential danger to human safety.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Elle J. Bowd, Lachlan McBurney, David B. Lindenmayer
Summary: Under the current trajectory of accelerated climatic and environmental change, many forests are at risk of regeneration failure and subsequent transition to alternate stable states. Detailed empirical understanding of these alternative states is limited. Using a manipulative experiment, we found that frequent stand-replacing disturbance can result in regeneration failure in ash-type eucalypt forests in Australia. These shifts to alternative stable states can have severe ecological implications and require management interventions to conserve forest integrity.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Biology
David B. Lindenmayer, Elle J. Bowd, Philip Gibbons
Summary: Wildfires pose challenges to forest restoration due to their varied impacts on vegetation and biodiversity. Appropriate management interventions, such as prescribed burning, excluding activities that hinder post-fire recovery, and artificial seeding, should be selected to achieve favorable restoration outcomes in different ecosystems.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Jiajia Liu, Xiaofeng Jin, Shenhao Yao, Yuan Wang, Yifei Lu, Qianyu Chen, Chuping Wu, Ferry Slik, David Lindenmayer
Summary: The discovery rates of new plant species should be accelerated to prevent extinction before formal description. Current studies have focused on the occurrence and characteristics of new species, but limited attention has been given to the taxonomists who discover and describe them. Using China as a case study, we found that recently described species are mostly endemic, and the proportion of species described by resident Chinese taxonomists has increased over time. In contrast, species discoveries by non-resident experts, often non-endemic, have shown signs of leveling off. This study highlights the need for training, support, and collaboration with resident taxonomists in megadiverse countries with high potential for discovering undescribed plant species.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Shilu Zheng, Juntao Hu, Zhijun Ma, David Lindenmayer, Jiajia Liu
Summary: The authors used body size data from mammal and bird museum collections in North America to show that intraspecific variation in body size has increased over time, while mean body size has not changed. Previous studies have mainly focused on the declining average body size of animals, and less is known about long-term changes in intraspecific trait variation, which is crucial for understanding species' ability to cope with environmental challenges.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Jessica L. L. Williams, David Lindenmayer, Brett Mifsud
Summary: Large old trees in Australia, such as the Mountain Ash, play critical ecological roles. By collating information about the tallest and largest trees in the country, we can identify priority species and areas for conservation. Documenting the size, condition, and location of these trees will enable monitoring and potential preservation efforts.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
D. B. Lindenmayer, W. Blanchard, M. J. Evans, R. Beggs, T. Lavery, D. Florance, C. Crane, D. Smith, A. Siegrist, E. Lang, B. C. Scheele
Summary: This study found that the Noisy Miner bird species in Australia poses a threat to other bird species. The study also revealed that environmental factors such as tree cover and net primary productivity influence the impact of the Noisy Miner. Therefore, protecting refugia characterized by high net primary productivity and tree cover is crucial for the conservation of woodland bird communities in areas with deforestation.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Brenton von Takach, Holly Sargent, Cara E. Penton, Kate Rick, Brett P. Murphy, Georgina Neave, Hugh F. Davies, Brydie M. Hill, Sam C. Banks
Summary: This study investigates the genomic diversity of a threatened Australian rodent, the black-footed tree-rat, and finds evidence of population decline across its range. The population in the Darwin region appears to be more stable. Prioritizing conservation efforts on the Darwin and Cobourg Peninsula populations would be the most cost-effective way to retain the majority of genetic diversity. These findings provide crucial data for conservation planning.
Article
Ecology
Jackie L. O'Sullivan, Claire N. Foster, Damian R. Michael, Wade Blanchard, David B. Lindenmayer
Summary: Understanding the factors that influence retreat-site selection by fauna is important for habitat management and species conservation. However, there is limited knowledge about the attributes of surface rocks that contribute to their use in agricultural landscapes, especially during the winter months when reptiles are brumating.
Article
Environmental Studies
David B. Lindenmayer
Summary: Tens of thousands of species are at risk of extinction globally, and forest degradation can profoundly affect biodiversity. This study presents a detailed case study of species declines associated with forest degradation in southeastern Australia's montane ash forests. The study highlights the key drivers of declines, including logging, wildfire, habitat loss, climate change, and policy failures. Lessons for better conservation and forest management efforts are discussed, emphasizing the need to address the conflicts between conservation and logging policies.