Guest post by Brandon Waldo, Katherine Moore, Sam Bickley, Christopher Anderson, & Moises Bernal. Salinity, Urbanization, and Genetic Divergence of Killifish Coastlines are unique and dynamic environments that are always subject to intense changes. Organisms living in beaches, estuaries, and marshes constantly face fluctuations in water conditions that can alter their habitat, making hardiness and... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: Cat colonies and flight initiation distances of urban birds: Dealing with conflicting sources of citizen wellbeing
Cat colonies and flight initiation distances of urban birds: Dealing with conflicting sources of citizen wellbeing Mario Díaz, Jonatan Fernández, Alicia Page Abstract Feral cat colonies in cities improve the wellbeing of people who feed and care for them, but they can have negative effects on biodiversity due to the predatory behaviour of cats. We... Continue Reading →
How the GLUE Animation Came About
“How life adapts to cities around the world” is a 5 minute educational animated film created by Sherry An (myself), a science and medical illuHow the GLUE Animation Came Aboutstrator and designer from Mississauga, Canada. The film uses 3D animation and visual storytelling to share the goals and results of the first GLUE study in... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: A global meta-analysis reveals higher variation in breeding phenology in urban birds than in their non-urban neighbours
A global meta-analysis reveals higher variation in breeding phenology in urban birds than in their non-urban neighbours Pablo Capilla-Lasheras, Megan J. Thompson, Alfredo Sánchez-Tójar, Yacob Haddou, Claire J. Branston, Denis Réale, Anne Charmantier, Davide M. Dominoni Abstract Cities pose a major ecological challenge for wildlife worldwide. Phenotypic variation, which can result from underlying genetic variation... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: Urbanization drives adaptive evolution in a Neotropical bird
Urbanization drives adaptive evolution in a Neotropical bird Rilquer Mascarenhas, Pedro Milet Meirelles, Henrique Batalha-Filho Abstract Urbanization has dramatic impacts on natural habitats and such changes may potentially drive local adaptation of urban populations. Behavioral change has been specifically shown to facilitate fast adaptation of birds to changing environments, but few studies have investigated the genetic mechanisms... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: Urban evolution of thermal physiology in a range-expanding, mycophagous fruit fly, Drosophila tripunctata
Urban evolution of thermal physiology in a range-expanding, mycophagous fruit fly, Drosophila tripunctata Sarah E. Diamond, Ryan A. Martin, Grace Bellino, K. Nicole Crown, Eric G. Prileson Abstract In Drosophila spp., their often high number of annual generations, large population sizes and large amounts of standing genetic variation should predispose them to undergo contemporary adaptation to climatic warming.... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: Fast-paced city life? Tempo and mode of phenotypic changes in urban birds from Switzerland
Fast-paced city life? Tempo and mode of phenotypic changes in urban birds from Switzerland Evelyn Hüppi & Madeleine Geiger Abstract Humans' large influence on the environment has constructed many new ecological niches, such as in urban areas. Phenotypic changes, including morphological ones related to human influence, are known from a small number of bird species.... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: Rock Refuges Are Strongly Associated with Increased Urban Occupancy in the Western Fence Lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis
Rock Refuges Are Strongly Associated with Increased Urban Occupancy in the Western Fence Lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis Alexander J. Rurik, Seth C. Wilmoth, Kendra E. Dayton and Amanda M. Sparkman Abstract Urbanization has dramatically altered habitats for local species worldwide. While some species are unable to meet the challenges that these alterations bring, others are able to... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: Urbanization driving changes in plant species and communities – A global view
Urbanization driving changes in plant species and communities – A global view Renata de Barros Ruas, Laís Mara Santana Costa, and Fernanda Bered Abstract The urban landscape is becoming the environment most familiar to most of humanity, which has consequences for society, the environment, and biodiversity. Here, we present a systematic review of current research... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: Coping with novelty across an urban mosaic: Provisioning latency increases closer to roads and is associated with species-specific reproductive success in two urban adapters
Coping with novelty across an urban mosaic: Provisioning latency increases closer to roads and is associated with species-specific reproductive success in two urban adapters Michela Corsini, Pietro Leanza, Amanda D. Rodewald, Joanna Sudyka, André A.Dhondt, and Marta Szulkin Abstract Most research on urban avian ecology has focused on population- and community-level phenomena, whereas fewer studies have examined how... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: Urban rendezvous along the seashore: Ports as Darwinian field‐labs for studying marine evolution in the Anthropocene
Urban rendezvous along the seashore: Ports as Darwinian field‐labs for studying marine evolution in the Anthropocene Fanny Touchard, Alexis Simon, Nicolas Bierne, and Frédérique Viard Abstract Humans have built ports on all the coasts of the world, allowing people to travel, exploit the sea, and develop trade. The proliferation of these artificial habitats and the associated... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: Native Lizards Living in Brazilian Cities: Effects of Developmental Environments on Thermal Sensitivity and Morpho-Functional Associations of Locomotion
Native Lizards Living in Brazilian Cities: Effects of Developmental Environments on Thermal Sensitivity and Morpho-Functional Associations of Locomotion Nathalia Rossigalli-Costa & Tiana Kohlsdorf Abstract Environmental conditions often affect developmental processes and consequently influence the range of phenotypic variation expressed at population level. Expansion of urban sites poses new challenges for native species, as urbanization usually... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: It Is a Wild World in the City: Urban Wildlife Conservation and Communication in the Age of COVID-19
It Is a Wild World in the City: Urban Wildlife Conservation and Communication in the Age of COVID-19 Ioana A. Coman, Caitlyn E. Cooper-Norris, Scott Longing, and Gad Perry Abstract Most ecosystems are increasingly being degraded and reduced by human activities at the local and global scales. In contrast, urban environments are expanding as increasing... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: Genetic patterns reveal differences between the invasion processes of common ragweed in urban and non-urban ecosystems
Genetic patterns reveal differences between the invasion processes of common ragweed in urban and non-urban ecosystems Siran Lu, Xiangyu Luo, Linwei Han, Jingyi Yang, Jing Jin, & Jun Yang Abstract Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) in urban ecosystems can significantly impact ecosystems and human wellbeing. However, our knowledge on the IAPS in urban ecosystems are limited due... Continue Reading →
New Lit Alert: The effects of urbanisation on ecological interactions
The effects of urbanisation on ecological interactions Panagiotis Theodorou Abstract Cities are expanding worldwide and urbanisation is considered a global threat to biodiversity. Urban ecology has provided important insights on how urban environmental changes might affect individuals, populations and species; however, we know little about how the ecological impacts of urbanisation alter species interactions. Species... Continue Reading →