ecology, evolution

The black fur allele has fitness costs but also confers higher immunity against canine distemper virus, making mix-and-match mating key to population survival.

Frogs invest in cognitive capacity to avoid predators—up until there are too many hungry snakes around for the evolutionary strategy to pay off.

Researchers tracked the movements of endangered caribou and sequenced a portion of their genomes to determine which genes may influence migratory behavior.

The University of East Anglia researcher was best known for his contributions to the study of sexual selection, particularly post-copulatory sperm competition.

Contrary to what researchers had assumed, Egyptian fruit bats don’t rely solely on sight to orient themselves as they drink and forage for food in daylight. 

The glossy shell of some beetles, it has long been speculated, helps hide the insects from predators. A recent paper put the hypothesis to the test—and found it wanting.

The Scientist spoke with University of Wollongong ecologist Dana Bergstrom about protecting the continent’s native plants and animals in the face of climate change and a growing human presence.

Having two different endosymbionts may allow the ciliate Pseudoblepharisma tenue to live in both oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor zones of the muddy bogs of southern Germany.

A volunteer nature guide teamed up with researchers to discover a unique reproductive role for one vine’s leaves.

Data on vertebrate species that have become, or are likely to become, extinct reveal plant eaters are most under threat.

An undergraduate research project finds the animals are tuned in to reassuring information from other species.

The microscopic marine animal Trichoplax adhaerens may use rapid changes in cell shape to avoid being ripped apart by forces in the ocean.

When it comes to tool making, the birds learn differently than humans.

Researchers find that conserving marsupials on a predator-free island dampens their avoidance behaviors, which could mean trouble for their reintroduction to mainland Australia.

A species of water flea in northern Belgium that helps keep algae in check is growing smaller and less abundant in urbanized areas. 

In an unusual evolutionary twist, local stick spiders have come up with an almost identical repertoire of color morphs in multiple locations.

Poecilia formosa, an all-female fish species, has a surprisingly robust genome. 

These insect transplants have the potential to wreak economic havoc by outcompeting native insects and destroying crops.

Marine species survived rafting thousands of kilometers on debris swept into the water by the giant wave, scientists say.