Evolution in an Urbanizing World
Our typical urban rats, mainly brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), have undergone adaptations that enable them to thrive in urban environments. These adaptations distinguish urban rats from their wild relatives and highlight the impact of urbanization on species evolution. Genetic evolution and neighborhood adaptations In cities like New York City, with a rat population estimated to... Continue Reading →
Parallel Signatures of Diet Adaptation in the Invasive Common Myna Genome Kamolphat Atsawawaranunt, Katarina C. Stuart, Annabel Whibley, Kyle M. Ewart, Richard E. Major, Rebecca N. Johnson, Anna W. Santure Abstract Invasive species offer uniquely replicated model systems to study rapid adaptation. The common myna (Acridotheres tristis) has been introduced to over a dozen countries and is classified as one of... Continue Reading →
Effects of urbanization on the trophic niche of the brown anole, a widespread invasive lizard Zachary A.Chejanovski, Sean T.Giery, Jason J.Kolbe Abstract Urbanization is one of the most dramatic forms of environmental change with the potential to alter trophic relationships among organisms in cities. In this study, we combine gut-content and stable isotope analyses of... Continue Reading →
Downtown diet: a global meta-analysis of increased urbanization on the diets of vertebrate predators Siria Gámez, Abigail Potts, Kirby L. Mills, Aurelia A. Allen, Allyson Holman, Peggy M. Randon, Olivia Linson and Nyeema C. Harris Abstract Predation is a fundamental ecological process that shapes communities and drives evolutionary dynamics. As the world rapidly urbanizes, it... Continue Reading →
Where there are humans, there is food... delicious calorie rich food. And so much of it, well, it can keep a bear from hibernating! We've told you about wildlife and anthropogenic food before (check out: Raccoon Eats Your Bird Food, Juggling a Junk Food Diet, Eggroll Squirrel, and of course - Pizza Rat), and taking advantage... Continue Reading →
New Orleans is a great city — good food, good people, good drinks. But the best part about New Orleans? LIZARDS! Keep your eyes open and you're likely to see lizards crawling on the trees, fences, buildings, and trashcans. Two species are common to the city: Anolis carolinensis, which are native to the Southeast USA,... Continue Reading →
Along with the altered landscape, urban organisms also encounter novel (anthropogenic) food resources. And while anthropogenic food can be abundant in cities, it is often lower in quality than natural food. This can lead to a situation in which low-quality but abundant food attracts animals to urban areas, but due to its reduced quality, this... 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.
Mammals are some of the most easily recognizable and endearing critters to share our cities with us. Who doesn't love a cute bunny or squirrel in a city park? Or a fox or raccoon slinking through the streets at night. Even city rats can be endearing. Despite the commonality of these species, urban areas are... Continue Reading →
Darwin's finches in the Galapagos are the poster children of adaptive radiation. These birds have formed many species that differ in their beaks. The size and shape of beaks make them uniquely suited to take advantage of different food resources. Hard big beaks are great for eating large hard seeds, small beaks for small seeds.... Continue Reading →
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