Preprints
Filtering by Subject: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Impact of warming on functional traits of a keystone grazer in Arctic lakes
Published: 2026-08-07
Subjects: Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Laboratory and Basic Science Research Life Sciences, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
Temperature rise is one of the most pronounced abiotic changes currently affecting Αrctic ecosystems. Knowledge about the adaptation capacity of their key species is urgently needed to better understand the ecological consequences for these sentinel ecosystems. Previous work on a keystone zooplankton grazer, the obligatory parthenogenetic Daphnia pulicaria, from a lake in South-West Greenland [...]
EcoScape: Species-specific Functional Habitat Connectivity Via Efficient Parallel Propagation Simulations
Published: 2026-08-06
Subjects: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Population Biology
Well-connected habitats sustain viable populations through gene flow, repopulation potential, and functional habitat extent. Conserving and enhancing habitat connectivity has been identified as a priority to halt extinctions and safeguard 30% of the planet. Conservation prioritization would therefore benefit from habitat connectivity modeling that is applicable at broad spatial and taxonomic [...]
Characterization of Haplosporidium pinnae's biogeographical distribution by means of Ecological Niche Modelling techniques and consequences of climate change upon its range
Published: 2026-08-06
Subjects: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
This study provides a biogeographical characterization of protozoan endoparasite Haplosporidium pinnae's distribution following the associated Mass Mortality Event of endangered bivalve Pinna nobilis in 2016. The epizootic has reached mortality rates between 80% - 100% and was first reported in the south-western Mediterranean Sea. It has since spread to north-western waters, followed by the [...]
A Survey of the Terrestrial Angiospermic Indigenous Flora of College of Education, Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria
Published: 2026-08-06
Subjects: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Plant Sciences
Seeking to explore the impact of developmental activities on plant biodiversity, a survey was embarked upon to document plant species naturally occurring on the College of Education (now University of Delta), Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria. A total of 48 species were recorded on Campus I, and 54 species were recorded on Campus II, belonging to 20 and 26 families respectively. On Campus I, the family [...]
How (not) to study insect microbiota in the age of high-throughput sequencing
Published: 2026-08-06
Subjects: Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Entomology, Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Ecology Life Sciences
The recognition of microbiota as a critical component of insect biology and evolution has driven a rapid expansion of insect-microbe interaction research. Yet while high-throughput sequencing has democratized access to microbial community profiling, it has also normalized low-resolution, artifact-prone approaches that often yield limited biological insights. Insects pose distinct challenges for [...]
Dark invasions as cryptic components of biological invasions
Published: 2026-08-05
Subjects: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
Understanding and managing biological invasions typically requires knowledge of species records, known impacts, recognized pathways and definitions of non-native status, yet this information is rarely complete or without uncertainties. We develop the concept of dark invasions to describe a suite of hidden or underacknowledged aspects of biological invasions that are rarely quantified because [...]
Influence of Selected Urban Tree Species on Soil Microbial Activity, Litter Decomposition, and Soil Chemical Properties in Akure, Southwestern Nigeria
Published: 2026-08-05
Subjects: Agriculture, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Forest Sciences, Other Life Sciences, Plant Sciences
Urban trees shape belowground ecological processes through litter deposition, root exudation, and interactions with soil microbial communities, yet species-specific effects are rarely incorporated into urban green-space management. This study evaluated the effects of five common urban tree species (Eucalyptus globulus, Azadirachta indica, Thuja occidentalis, Prunus dulcis, and Buddleja globosa) [...]
Life-history traits do not always evolve in response to changing thermal environments
Published: 2026-08-04
Subjects: Biodiversity, Biology, Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Entomology, Integrative Biology, Zoology
Quantifying animals' capacity to evolve in response to changing environments is central to predicting ecological responses to climate change. However, empirical evidence for evolutionary responses to changing temperatures remains mixed, and we know little about how selection alters trait variance or generates trade-offs among traits. Here, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 44 [...]
Wolf–Deer Movement After the 2021 Wolf Harvest, by North-South Gradient and Proximity to Towns using a Five-County Camera Record (2018–2025)
Published: 2026-08-03
Subjects: Behavior and Ethology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Life Sciences
Previous analysis of a wolf-enriched extract of the Snapshot Wisconsin camera network for five northwestern counties (Barron, Burnett, Bayfield, Douglas, and Sawyer; 525 cameras, 294,031 camera-days, 634,214 detections, 2018–2025; 1,856 wolf detections on 197 cameras) established patterns in the way gray wolves (Canis lupus) follow, select which class of deer to follow, and how strongly they [...]
Patterns of Gray Wolf and White-tailed Deer Movement: Local, County and Regional Camera-trap Data (2018-2025)
Published: 2026-07-31
Subjects: Behavior and Ethology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Life Sciences
The gray wolf (Canis lupus) is the apex predator of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), but on a single restored site it can be too rare to study. A year-round survey of about ten cameras at nine fixed stations on an approximately 100-ha prairie–savanna complex located within Washburn County, Wisconsin, yielded too few wolf detections over three years (11,473 animal detections, 2024–2026) [...]
The Global Ecosystems Atlas: comprehensive and systematic mapping of Earth's ecosystems
Published: 2026-07-31
Subjects: Desert Ecology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment, Environmental Monitoring, Geography, Life Sciences, Marine Biology, Natural Resources and Conservation, Physical and Environmental Geography, Remote Sensing, Spatial Science, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
Halting and reversing biodiversity loss is central to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, yet a lack of consistent, spatially comprehensive data on ecosystem distributions has undermined our ability to monitor progress against its goals and targets. Here we introduce the Global Ecosystems Atlas initiative, convened by the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) in [...]
Age-related shifts in dietary and oviposition preferences and steep costs of modest parental ageing in Drosophila melanogaster
Published: 2026-07-30
Subjects: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Life Sciences
Nutritional requirements vary across sexes and throughout an organism’s lifetime, and are predicted to influence dietary preferences to maximise fitness. However, the consequences of age-related changes in dietary preferences within and across generations are unknown. This is an important omission, as age-related changes in nutrient intake could have direct, sex-specific effects on offspring. We [...]
Interspecific Bergmann’s rule pattern in birds persists despite seasonal migration
Published: 2026-07-30
Subjects: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Climatic gradients are thought to shape animal body size, with larger species often occurring in colder environments. Yet trait-climate relationships may reflect current climatic exposure as well as the evolutionary and biogeographic histories that shaped species’ traits. Bergmann’s rule illustrates this challenge, and birds provide a useful test because seasonal migration decouples body size [...]
More trees, more moths: how urban treescapes can help reverse moth declines
Published: 2026-07-29
Subjects: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
Moths are undergoing widespread declines in abundance, biomass and diversity, with consequences for pollination, herbivory and trophic interactions. Yet moth conservation remains poorly integrated into biodiversity policy and practice, particularly in urban environments. Here, we argue that trees offer an underused, but very timely, opportunity to support urban moth communities. Trees provide [...]
GLYPTEMYS INSCULPTA (Wood Turtle) PREDATION.
Published: 2026-07-29
Subjects: Behavior and Ethology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Life Sciences
Glyptemys insculpta is a semi-aquatic emydid turtle native to the midwestern and northeastern United States and eastern Canada. This species is imperiled across much of its range and is legally protected in all states and provinces where it occurs. In this report, we document G. insculpta egg predation by Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii (Prairie Deer Mouse), which occurred within a two-week period [...]