Evolution in an Urbanizing World
Recently, LITC contributor Sophie Brietbart and myself published a review in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution as part of a special issue on Arthropod Interactions and Responses to Disturbance in a Changing World. Changes to the biotic and abiotic environment via urbanization present challenges not only to herbivorous arthropods, but also their host plants and... Continue Reading →
Marine mammals might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the bright lights of the big city, but in the Inwood neighborhood of New York City (located at the very top of Manhattan), there has been an exciting visitor -- a male harbor seal (Phoca vitulina). Thanks to rescue and... Continue Reading →
A common behavioral trend observed in urban animals is that they tend to be bolder compared to their rural counterparts. This behavioral shift can enable urban animals to deal with the unique stressors of urban life and may set the stage for urban adaptation. A common way to quantify boldness is to measure flight-initiation distance, or... Continue Reading →
I've just returned from spending a summer in Panama City, Panama, where I was an intern at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). Specifically, I worked on University of Nevada Reno Assistant Professor Michael Logan's project, titled The Genomic Basis of Thermal Adaptation: A Large-Scale Transplant Experiment in the Panama Canal. If you're interested, you... Continue Reading →
The tropics of Trinidad… the gleaming ice of the Arctic… as urban scientists, these are field sites we typically forgo for the sake of a short(ish) commute. Studying what’s “close to home” certainly has its benefits. Not only can we study the evolutionary dynamics of our own neighborhoods’ wildlife, but we also engage in science... Continue Reading →
It's hot out there! This summer has seen excessive heat waves sweeping the world and breaking records - many places recorded the hottest summer temperatures ever! What does an ectotherm do to chill out in this extreme heat? This frog has found an unusual solution and is our urban observation of the week. https://www.instagram.com/p/B0HrHVlBgHN/?igshid=pb6g3al3s2g Do... Continue Reading →
City life can be difficult for many organisms. Cities are louder, brighter, hotter, and often more contaminated with toxins than nearby less-developed areas. Ever-increasing research is showing that organisms are coping with the urban environment in many ways. Urban great tits (Parus major) living in areas with high amounts of noise pollution sing at a... Continue Reading →
Did you know that all toads are frogs but not all frogs are toads? Frogs are found in and near water while true toads are found on land. This toad was found on a pile of trash, still on land though! Thanks to Julia Riley for this great urban observation. Julia was also a co-author... Continue Reading →
Have you ever found yourself wishing that the cafeteria was opened on weekends? Well apparently so have the birds! Read on to find out how weekly fluctuations in the availability of human food affect the foraging behavior of urban birds.
It can be super scary to see a wasp nest in your neighborhood. Wasps can cause a very painful sting. Sometimes their nests can cause damage to your property too. But these critters also provide important ecosystem services - they help control pest insects and pollinate flowers! You may have heard of birds making nests... Continue Reading →
Urban evolution can have different meanings depending on what field you come from. If you are an urban planner, it might mean that urban areas are getting larger, even using sustainable energy sources where they didn't previously. For some architects it may mean that they now figure out how to put green roofs on buildings.... Continue Reading →
Most of the time when you hear about an animal in your car engine, its a kitten in the winter seeking warmth. Bet you never thought you'd see a crab in your engine! Thank you Jose A. Velez Torres of Puerto Rico for this gem! Do you have a photo or video of an urban... Continue Reading →
Ecomorphology describes how an animal’s physical traits (called morphology) match how it uses its habitat. It is assumed that ecomorphology results from performance-morphology relationships across different habitats. For instance, running speed (a measure of performance) could be affected by limb length (a measure of morphology), but this relationship varies based on habitat (e.g. type of... Continue Reading →
A few weeks ago I was in San Diego, California for #ComSciCon19 and walking back to the dorms late in the evening when a friend grabbed me just before I stepped on something. I bent down to get a closer look and found this stick insect. After doing a bit of searching and posting a... Continue Reading →
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