Evolution in an Urbanizing World
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 →
Pigeons are one of the most common, iconic birds we see in cities. Did you know that pigeons are prey for larger, predatory birds? We like Red-tailed hawks so much they've been featured as our urban observation multiple times. Here, we see a New York City red-tailed hawk that caught a pigeon for lunch. Do... 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 →
Last week we brought you otters on astroturf. This week, otters popped up in a market in Salisbury. Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What about a rare plant or animal that you were surprised to find in a city? If so, let Lindsay know or Tweet... Continue Reading →
For the past 1.5 years, we (the editors of LITC) have been working to bring together new empirical urban evolution research as well as novel reviews and perspectives. While this research has trickled out online over the past few months we're excited that it is officially published in Evolutionary Applications' first issue of 2021. This... Continue Reading →
We usually see wild otters in the rivers (even in urban areas), but they do spend some time on land. David Tan spotted these smooth-coated otters on the astroturf of a football field. Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What about a rare plant or animal that... Continue Reading →
Back in the summer time, people water their lawns for that fresh green grass look. This added water can attract lots of different animals as we saw with this frog. This week, we bring you a bird of prey enjoying the good life in the water spray. Do you have a photo or video of... Continue Reading →
Happy New Year everyone! With 2020 behind us, let's get ready for a fresh new year. Here's a preview of what our blog has in store. Urban Observations Yep. We will continue to bring you weekly urban observations. We think that it is an important aspect of urban evolution research. In fact, the step in... 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 →
Happy Holidays everyone! Tis the holiday season so we are taking time off to enjoy the holidays virtually with family and friends. We will see you all next year, 2021!!!
Lizards are becoming increasingly common in urban areas. They are able to forage longer than usual because of the urban heat island effect. Today's observation is a lizard still out and about, back in late October, when they should have already wrapped up the season! Do you have a photo or video of an urban... 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 →
The internet loves cats. We see posts frequently of cats basking in the sunlight, sleeping on anything in the house, even if it doesn't look comfortable. This week, we bring you a cougar chilling on someone's car! Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What about a rare... 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 →
When large predators roam the city streets, we need to be careful. Since we are taking over their natural habitat, leopards have moved their hunt into the city. Unfortunately, this means that their prey can be our beloved pets. This week we have a leopard on the hunt for a dog, leaping over the fence... Continue Reading →
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