Evolution in an Urbanizing World
Coyotes are widespread across North America and are one of few large predators that are found in cities. If you've been following our blog, you may have seen a few pictures of coyotes in urban and residential areas. You have probably also read some great research as well, presented by our guest contributors. Because they... Continue Reading →
As we know, the landscape of urban areas is changing rapidly as land is converted from natural to anthropogenic space. Additionally, new technology has allowed us to collect more data at a lower cost than ever before. The combination of these two events led my co-authors and me to ask "Are biologists keeping up with... Continue Reading →
Fine scale genetic structure in fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra) along a rural‑to‑urban gradient G. Yannic, V. Helfer, R. Sermier, B. R. Schmidt, L. Fumagalli Abstract Delineating population boundaries in anthropogenic landscape is of critical importance for domains of biology that are concerned with the ecology, evolution and conservation of species. This remains particularly difficult for species where there is... Continue Reading →
Cities are hot. Because of the urban heat island effect, urban environments tend to be significantly warmer than nearby non-urban environments. For ectothermic organisms, like lizards and insects, elevated urban temperatures create thermally stressful conditions. It might be unsurprising then that researchers have documented an increase in thermal tolerance in urban animals (e.g., City Ants... Continue Reading →
Given the right conditions, life in the city might just lead to speciation. Wouter Halfwerk digs into the potential for and evidence of urban speciation in his latest paper in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. Halfwerk points out that many studies have revealed both genetic and phenotypic divergence in urban populations, but asks are we seeing... Continue Reading →
In August 2020, I recently published my first first-author paper about urban Anolis lizard claws! I have previously written about my research after doing field work and presenting at my university's science symposium. I'm excited to report that the results are finally out! In our paper, The Finer Points of Urban Adaptation, myself and my coauthors (Kevin... Continue Reading →
Urban habitats and landscapes are considerably different from their rural and natural counterparts. Rural and natural habitats experience diluted human effects (e.g., disturbance, low pollution), while urban areas and urban wildlife endure more significant impacts from humans. When we think about the influence of cities and urbanization, we typically think of more "direct" impacts such... Continue Reading →
What makes a bird successful in the city? Jakob Mueller and colleagues first attempted to answer this question in blackbirds, finding genomic signatures of selection in the SERT gene associated with harm avoidance. Now, building on only a handful of studies to explore the genomic basis of urban adaptive responses, Mueller and colleagues tackle this... Continue Reading →
A recent paper in Scientific Reports, "Of city and village mice" by Dammhahn et al (2020), investigated the behavioral responses of striped field mice (Apodemus agrarius) to urbanization. The ability for an animal to adjust their behavior to a novel environment can contribute to survival in urban habitats, with the possibility of local adaptation to... Continue Reading →
James Baxter-Gilbert and colleagues from down under — Julia Riley and Martin Whiting — have been digging into the ecological and evolutionary responses to urbanization in a charismatic and common (at least if you're in Australia) group of lizards: Australian water dragons (Intellagama lesueurii). Previously, we told you about their findings that urban dragons are innately bold. In... Continue Reading →
As urban centers continue to grow, so too does the research that investigates how urbanization influences evolution. However, urban marine ecosystems are often overlooked. Interestingly, population density along coastlines is 3-times higher than the global average but research in urban marine systems is more than 3-times lower than research inland. Researchers identified the main... Continue Reading →
Urban areas around the world are an interesting combination of non-native and native species. In London, urban foxes are a common sight and because of this, we would predict that urban foxes have evolved due to differing selection factors in cities. For mammalogists, examing and comparing skulls is a common way to measure changes that... Continue Reading →
Urban areas are dynamic, heterogeneous habitats that differ dramatically from your traditional “non-urban” habitats. These centers are complex, multi-level habitats that are full of interacting stressors. Additionally, urban habitats are fragmented via impervious surfaces and are subject to noise, chemical, and light pollution alongside human interaction(s). Humans (and their pets) directly and indirectly interact with... Continue Reading →
One of the outstanding questions in urban evolutionary biology is whether there are universal or predictable responses to urbanization, and if so, what factors influence urban tolerance. As small-bodied ectotherms, reptiles are particularly sensitive to many of the challenges of urban life. For example, reptiles appear to be more sensitive to habitat fragmentation than birds,... Continue Reading →
We often think about how the construction of new buildings, parking lots, and industrial areas will impact the local wildlife. And, indeed, governments require environmental impact surveys and ongoing monitoring when vulnerable species are present. However, it wasn't until I saw the paper "Music Festival Makes Hedgehogs Move: How Individuals Cope Behaviorally in Response to... Continue Reading →
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