Bee declines: what’s the stress all about?

This blog post is provided by Aoife Cantwell-Jones and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the paper “Signatures of increasing environmental stress in bumblebee wings over the past century: Insights from museum specimens”, which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. The authors looked at how bumblebee wing asymmetry has changed over the 20th century. They found that wing asymmetry started increasing around 1925 and … Continue reading Bee declines: what’s the stress all about?

Julie SheardAugust 24, 2022September 9, 20221 Comment

#StoryBehindThePaper, Guest post

Multiple parasitoid species enhance top-down control, but parasitoid performance is context-dependent

This blog post is provided by Melanie Thierry, Nick Pardikes, Miguel González Ximénez de Embún, Grégoire Proudhom, Jan Hrcek and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the paper “Multiple parasitoid species enhance top-down control, but parasitoid performance is context-dependent“, which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. They explore how different combinations of hosts and parasitoid species interact in miniature worlds, also known as microcosms, showing … Continue reading Multiple parasitoid species enhance top-down control, but parasitoid performance is context-dependent

Beth PrestonAugust 17, 2022September 9, 20222 Comments

#StoryBehindThePaper, Guest post

Artificial selection in human-wildlife feeding interactions.

This blog post is provided by Laura L. Griffin and tells the #StoryBehindthePaper for the paper “Artificial selection in human-wildlife feeding interactions“, which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. In their study, they link human-wildlife feeding interactions with the production of heavier offspring, identifying these interactions as a driver for artificial selection. Here, author Laura L. Griffin tells us more. Humans are … Continue reading Artificial selection in human-wildlife feeding interactions.

Julie SheardAugust 10, 2022August 31, 2022Leave a comment

#StoryBehindThePaper, Guest post

Mountain lion predation on wild donkeys rewires an ancient food web

This blog post is provided by Erick Lundgren and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the paper “A novel trophic cascade between cougars and feral donkeys shapes desert wetlands“, which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. Contrary to popular belief, they find that mountain lions are capable of hunting wild donkeys, positively affecting wetlands due to changes in donkey activity levels. Around 12,000 years … Continue reading Mountain lion predation on wild donkeys rewires an ancient food web

Julie SheardJuly 25, 2022August 31, 2022Leave a comment

#StoryBehindThePaper, Guest post

Parasites are just the strings: Microbes as the real puppet masters in phenotypic manipulations of parasitized animals

This blog post is provided by Priscila Salloum, Fátima Jorge and Robert Poulin and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the paper “Inter-individual variation in parasite manipulation of host phenotype: a role for parasite microbiomes?“, which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. They explore how differences in the microbiome of parasites might impact the way that those parasites can manipulate their hosts’ behaviour. Many parasites … Continue reading Parasites are just the strings: Microbes as the real puppet masters in phenotypic manipulations of parasitized animals

Beth PrestonJuly 8, 2022August 31, 2022Leave a comment

#StoryBehindThePaper

The Push and Pull of Niche in Rodents

This blog post is provided by Pei-Jen L. Shaner and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the paper “Niche overlap in rodents increases with competition but not ecological opportunity: A role of inter-individual difference“, which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. She explores how different rodent species in Taiwan have different dietary niches to allow coexistence between individuals and species. Animals living in the … Continue reading The Push and Pull of Niche in Rodents

Beth PrestonJune 30, 2022August 31, 2022Leave a comment

#StoryBehindThePaper, Guest post

LET’S TALK ABOUT HUMMINGBIRDS, SEX & FLOWERS

This blog post is provided by María A. Maglianesi and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the paper “Behavioural and morphological traits influence sex-specific floral resource use by hummingbirds“, which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. In their study, they investigate how the differences in behaviour and physical form of male and female hummingbirds, even of the same species, changes their relationship with the … Continue reading LET’S TALK ABOUT HUMMINGBIRDS, SEX & FLOWERS

Beth PrestonJune 23, 2022August 17, 2022Leave a comment

#StoryBehindThePaper, Guest post, Special features

Which genes and functions respond to environmental change?

This blog post is provided by Katharina Wollenberg Valero and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the paper “Functional genomics of abiotic environmental adaptation in lacertid lizards and other vertebrates“, which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. This paper is part of the Journal of Animal Ecology Special Feature: “Understanding climate change response in the age of genomics”. In their study, they investigate which … Continue reading Which genes and functions respond to environmental change?

Julie SheardJune 13, 2022July 25, 2022Leave a comment

#StoryBehindThePaper, Guest post

Songbird parents coordinate in space and time

This blog post is provided by Davide Baldan and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the paper “Songbird parents coordinate offspring provisioning at fine spatio-temporal scales“, which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. Being a parent is certainly not an easy job. It takes a considerable amount of time and energy to successfully raise offspring. That is why each parent would like, if possible, … Continue reading Songbird parents coordinate in space and time

Julie SheardMay 25, 2022June 27, 2022Leave a comment