Photo of a drawer of varied tit specimens, with tags attached

On how and why I took more than 22,500 colour measurements in a month and survived

This blog post is provided by David Lopez-Idiaquez and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the article “Global patterns of colouration complexity in the Paridae: effects of climate and species characteristics across body regions”, which was recently published in Journal of Animal Ecology. In this study, Lopez-Idiaquez explored the colouration of specimens of 58 Paridae species, and found that distinct plumage areas are affected by different environmental … Continue reading On how and why I took more than 22,500 colour measurements in a month and survived

Rowan KuminskiJuly 2, 2025Leave a comment

#StoryBehindThePaper, Guest post

Seduction Below the Surface: Learning from a Small Marine Fish That Seduction Is an Ever-Changing Game

This blog post is provided by Ivain Martinossi and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the paper “A test of operational sex-ratio theory across latitudes reveals temporal variation in sex-specific behavioural reaction norms”, which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. In their study, Martinossi and colleagues shine a light on the nuanced seduction strategies of a small marine fish, the two-spotted goby, which has a … Continue reading Seduction Below the Surface: Learning from a Small Marine Fish That Seduction Is an Ever-Changing Game

Edie AbrahamsFebruary 24, 2025February 20, 2025Leave a comment

#StoryBehindThePaper, Guest post

Sex matters in the race to combat climate change

This blog post is provided by Rachael Y. Dudaniec, Alexander R. Carey, Erik I. Svensson, Bengt Hansson, Chuan Ji Yong and Lesley T. Lancaster and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the paper ‘Latitudinal clines in sexual selection, sexual size dimorphism, and sex‐specific genetic dispersal during a poleward range expansion’, which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. As climate change is facilitating many species to … Continue reading Sex matters in the race to combat climate change

Julie SheardApril 27, 2021May 25, 20212 Comments

Guest post

Evolution of dance and color in the birds of paradise

In this post, we take a behind-the-scenes look at a recent study into the drivers of complexity in bird of paradise displays. Meredith Miles, a PhD student in Dr Matthew Fuxjager’s lab at Wake Forest University, takes an integrative approach into behavioural ecology. This involves studying the molecular and physiological mechanisms that underlie display performance all the way up to the diversity of macroevolutionary pattern … Continue reading Evolution of dance and color in the birds of paradise

Sarah MarleyApril 11, 2018May 18, 20181 Comment

Press release

Competitive males are a blessing and a curse

This post is a press release from the authors of Journal of Animal Ecology paper “Sexual selection can both increase and decrease extinction probability: reconciling demographic and evolutionary factors” by Carlos Martínez-Ruiz and Robert J. Knell Issued by Queen Mary, University of London Press Office.

Showy ornaments used by the male of the species in competition for mates, such as the long tail of a peacock or shaggy mane of a lion, could indicate a species’ risk of decline in a changing climate, according to a new study from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). Continue reading “Competitive males are a blessing and a curse”