New Lit Alert: Body size and survival of urban and rural populations of a common wolf spider are not influenced by lifelong exposure to lead pollution 

Body size and survival of urban and rural populations of a common wolf spider are not influenced by lifelong exposure to lead pollution  Lucy Guarnieri, Leo Taylor, P. Larry Phelan & Mary Margaret Gardiner  Abstract Heavy metal pollution is pervasive in urban soils, and it can negatively impact the fitness of arthropods. Arthropod populations can evolve to... Continue Reading →

Urbanization and the Avian Endocrine System

In a previous post titled Meta-analysis of Urban Bird Phenology, we discussed how urban conditions have affected the average value of phenology and reproductive phenotypes in bird species. Capilla-Lasheras et al. found that urban bird populations had lower values than their non-urban conspecifics for three life-history traits, indicating earlier lay dates, smaller clutch sizes, and... Continue Reading →

Marine Habitats in Urban Ecosystems

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 →

Toxic Toads in a Toxic World

The Common European Toad, Bufo bufo, is a pond-breeding amphibian found throughout Europe, including in urban environments.  Ecological changes (e.g., predator communities) in anthropogenic habitats present novel challenges to the common toad, but abiotic changes (e.g., pollution) may also influence phenotypes in these landscapes. Nevertheless, we know relatively little about how these urban-dwellers (and specifically their toxins)... Continue Reading →

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