Article
Anthropology
Ciraj Rassool, Victoria E. Gibbon
Summary: This article examines the differences between the terms "repatriation" and "restitution" and argues for the use of "restitution" as the preferred term for return initiatives.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Ian Towle, Matthew R. Borths, Carolina Loch
Summary: The low prevalence of tooth chipping in the Fayum primate genera suggests a predominantly soft fruit diet and does not support habitual hard food mastication. The presence of caries in the fossils indicates consumption of soft, sugary fruits, at least in the Propliopithecidae. These results provide further evidence for low dietary diversity in early anthropoids, with soft fruits as their likely dominant food source.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Carmen R. Liza, Wolfgang B. Stotz, Pilar A. Haye
Summary: This study assessed the phylogeography of the surf clam species Mesodesma donacium in the southeast Pacific coast. The study revealed two divergent mitochondrial haplogroups and their geographic distribution and genetic diversity. The study also suggested that there is no reproductive isolation between these haplogroups. These findings are important for the management and restocking activities of this species.
Review
Ecology
Tanmay Dixit
Summary: Coevolution is typically defined as reciprocal evolution of interacting species, but it can also occur within species at different biological levels. It does not necessarily involve genetic changes, as cultural evolution is also possible. Broadening the definition of coevolution to include reciprocal adaptive evolution at any level of biological organization can maintain consistency in terminology and facilitate integration of coevolution research across disciplines.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Evan Tjeerdema, Yoon Lee, Rachel Metry, Amro Hamdoun
Summary: The extreme fecundity and synchrony of sea urchins can be effectively utilized in imaging-based drug screens. By combining stable genetics, high content imaging, and machine learning-based image analysis, this study explores the role of a drug transporter in sea urchin embryos. The high-throughput assay and nested convolutional neural network analysis accurately classify embryos and measure their responses to drugs. The results reveal the increased sensitivity of ABCB1 knockout embryos to transporter substrates and mitotic poisons.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
John A. Erwin, Kenneth A. Logan, Daryl R. Trumbo, W. Chris Funk, Melanie Culver
Summary: This study investigated the effects of hunting on reproduction and genetic diversity in a puma population. The presence of hunting reduced the age of male breeders and decreased the number of unique fathers siring litters. Hunting also increased relatedness among males and decreased relatedness among females in the population, as well as decreased genetic diversity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Artemis D. Treindl, Jessica Stapley, Daniel Croll, Adrian Leuchtmann
Summary: Antagonistic selection between pathogens and hosts drives evolutionary change and leaves molecular footprints in genomes. This study provides insights into complex adaptive processes in natural plant pathogen systems.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paul Banse, Juliette Luiselli, David P. Parsons, Theotime Grohens, Marco Foley, Leonardo Trujillo, Jonathan Rouzaud-Cornabas, Carole Knibbe, Guillaume Beslon
Summary: While little is known about the evolutionary significance of chromosomal rearrangements, the study using Aevol simulation platform shows that chromosomal rearrangements make decisive contributions to evolutionary dynamics by expanding the gene repertoire, reducing the effect of diminishing-returns epistasis, and regulating the size of the genome through indirect selection for reproductive robustness.
Article
Ecology
Amelie Hoste, Thibaut Capblancq, Thomas Broquet, Laure Denoyelle, Charles Perrier, Elena Buzan, Nikica Sprem, Luca Corlatti, Barbara Crestanello, Heidi Christine Hauffe, Loic Pellissier, Glenn Yannic
Summary: This study investigates how the adaptive genetic variation of the Northern chamois is affected by future global warming. The results show that the chamois exhibit local adaptation and future climate changes will significantly modify their adaptive landscape.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicole A. Fusco, Bradley J. Cosentino, James P. Gibbs, Maximilian L. Allen, Alexander J. Blumenfeld, George H. Boettner, Elizabeth J. Carlen, Merri Collins, Catherine Dennison, Devin Digiacopo, Andre-Philippe Drapeau Picard, Jonathan Edmonson, M. Caitlin Fisher-Reid, Rebecca Fyffe, Travis Gallo, Alannah Grant, William Harbold, Stephen B. Heard, Diana J. R. Lafferty, Richard M. Lehtinen, Shealyn Marino, John E. Mcdonald, Alessio Mortelliti, Maureen Murray, Amy Newman, Krista N. Oswald, Caitlin Ott-Conn, Jonathan L. Richardson, Rebecca Rimbach, Paul Salaman, Michael Steele, Mason R. Stothart, Mark C. Urban, Kurt Vandegrift, John P. Vanek, Sean N. Vanderluit, Lucie Vezina, Adalgisa Caccone
Summary: Urbanization influences genetic connectivity of eastern grey squirrels, but connected populations are still maintained in forested areas.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Stuart Willis, Jeff Stephenson, Andrew Pierce, Lea Medeiros, Laura Jenkins, Douglas R. Hatch, Shawn Narum
Summary: The study used genome sequencing of steelhead trout from two populations to identify genomic differences associated with age-at-maturity and iteroparity. The findings suggest that age-at-maturity and the phenology of iteroparity may be determined by overlapping physiological processes and genetic pathways.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Siti Zafirah Ghazali, Sebastien Lavoue, Norli Fauzani Mohd Abu Hassan Alshari, Danial Hariz Zainal Abidin, Jamsari Amirul Firdaus Jamaluddin, Min Pau Tan, Siti Azizah Mohd Nor
Summary: This study used an integrative taxonomic approach and a large set of specimens to reveal the rich species-level diversity within the genus Ambassis in Peninsular Malaysia, calling for a complete taxonomic revision. The study also uncovered regional-scale hidden diversity and identification conflicts.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Stuart Willis, D. Katharine Coykendall, Matthew R. Campbell, Shawn Narum
Summary: This study investigates the evolution of allele frequencies at major effect loci in steelhead populations that have declined due to human impacts. The researchers found that these loci showed variation influenced by evolutionary processes and human activities, highlighting the importance of understanding and conserving genetic diversity in protected species.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Evolutionary Biology
Jakub Goczal, Rolf G. Beutel, Matthew L. Gimmel, Robin Kundrata
Summary: The study investigated the patterns of elytral shortening and loss in the order Coleoptera and found that approximately 20% of the species have shortened or even absent elytra. The drivers of elytral reduction include improved flexibility of the abdomen, mimicry, and chemical communication. Paedomorphosis is responsible for elytral loss in some lineages. Many beetles with reduced elytra exhibit alternative defensive strategies.
SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiao Zhang, Handan Dai, Yongtao Huang, Kuan Liu, Xingang Li, Shuoxin Zhang, Shenglei Fu, Shuo Jiao, Chunbo Chen, Biao Dong, Zhu Yang, Yang Cui, Huan Li, Shirong Liu
Summary: This study addresses the limited understanding of the generation and maintenance of diversity in ecology and microbial ecology. A conceptual model was established to investigate the mechanisms controlling soil bacterial diversity during forest secondary succession. The study found that species pool consistently affected alpha-diversity, but the effects on beta-diversity disappeared when local assembly processes were taken into account.
Article
Ecology
Peter A. Innes, April M. Goebl, Chris C. R. Smith, Kaylee Rosenberger, Nolan C. Kane
Summary: Regulation of gene expression is a critical link between genotype and phenotype, and alternative splicing plays an essential role in plants, potentially providing a source of evolutionary novelty. This study examines the relationship between alternative splicing, gene expression levels, and adaptation in dune-adapted prairie sunflowers. The results show that alternative splicing and gene expression levels are differentiated among ecotypes, even in a common environment, indicating the importance of alternative splicing in natural selection.
Article
Ecology
Pierre Methou, Marion Gueganton, Jonathan T. Copley, Hiromi Kayama Watanabe, Florence Pradillon, Marie-Anne Cambon-Bonavita, Chong Chen
Summary: Most animal species have a singular developmental pathway and adult ecology, but developmental plasticity is well-known in some such as honeybees where castes display profoundly different morphology and ecology. An intriguing case is the Atlantic deep-sea hydrothermal vent shrimp pair Rimicaris hybisae and R. chacei that share dominant COI haplotypes and could represent very recently diverging lineages or even morphs of the same species.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Henri Mouy
Summary: The functions of bright bands in coral and other snakes have long been a puzzle. The prevailing opinion is that these bands serve as aposematic marks or mimicry, but the author suggests that they may be defensive against snake predators by interfering with their focusing ability. The author proposes that red bands specifically target visual receptors in snakes active in low light, which have a slow and saturating response. These conjectures explain various observations, such as the geographical distribution and pattern evolution of tricolour snakes.
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Felipe M. G. Mattos, Niklas Dreyer, Chia-Ling Fong, Yung-Hui Victoria Wen, Dharmesh Jain, Mattia De Vivo, Yu-Sin Huang, John Karichu Mwihaki, Tzi-Yuan Wang, Ming-Jay Ho, Isheng Jason Tsai, John Wang, Benny K. K. Chan, Ryuji J. Machida
Summary: PCR-based high-throughput sequencing allows comprehensive analysis of zooplankton diversity dynamics. This study found that smaller and larger zooplankton compositions showed different levels of homogeneity across samples. PCR amplification bias was observed in both metatranscriptomics and in silico datasets, with the smaller fractioned communities showing higher homogeneity. The study suggests the need for metatranscriptomics or redesigning CO1 primers to overcome these issues.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhiyuan Ma, Shuo Jiao, Kaikai Zheng, Haowei Ni, Dong Li, Na Zhang, Yunfeng Yang, Jizhong Zhou, Bo Sun, Yuting Liang
Summary: Studying the functional heterogeneity of soil microorganisms is important for predicting the response of soil carbon stability to environmental changes. This study found that the turnover rate of fungal communities was 2-4 times higher than that of bacterial communities at different spatial scales. Additionally, both bacteria and fungi associated with carbon mineralization exhibited a prevalence of generalist species at the regional scale.
