Institut de Biologia Evolutiva

Food, fear and physics drive collective behaviour in the ocean's pelagic zone

Abstract Understanding how complex, coordinated patterns arise in animal groups has been an important theme in behavioural ecology, revealing much about the mechanisms of the evolution of behaviour. While fish schools are a well-known example, they represent just one case among n...

Microbiome-mediated resilience and cross-generational consequences in male Drosophila exposed to combined environmental stressors

Climate change exposes organisms to multiple, interacting stressors, yet their joint effects on reproduction and inheritance remain poorly understood. This study investigated the interactive effects of acute heat stress and sublethal imidacloprid exposure on the reproductive succ...

ERGA-BGE genome of Valencia hispanica (Valenciennes, 1826): a critically endangered Iberian toothcarp

The reference genome of Valencia hispanica , a critically endangered actinopterygian species endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, is key to unravelling its genetic architecture and adaptation to freshwater ecosystems. This genomic resource will enable targeted conservation efforts a...

Impact of Pesticides on Vertebrates

Pesticides are widely used in agricultural systems globally, and wild vertebrates are commonly exposed to them in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This review synthesizes current knowledge on pesticide classes, environmental fate, exposure pathways, and their effects acro...

Evaluation of micro-litter pollution in the Antarctic asteroid Odontaster validus Koehler, 1906 at Deception Island (South Shetland Islands)

Micro-litter (ML) pollution is increasingly being reported in Antarctic benthic ecosystems and the organisms inhabiting them. In this study, we assessed ML abundance and characteristics in the Antarctic asteroid Odontaster validus at Deception Island (South Shetland Islands), an...

Selection bias in microbial mutation accumulation studies and the impact of colony growth

In microbial mutation-accumulation (MA) studies, it is widely thought that natural selection is silenced by repeated single-cell bottlenecks. In support of this claim, 40 published tests for selection bias failed to detect a deficit of non-synonymous relative to synonymous mutati...

Neuropsychological follow-up and audiometry in Susac syndrome — a case report

Abstract Susac syndrome is an extremely rare autoimmune disease which is characterized by encephalopathy, cochleo-vestibular damage resulting in sensorineural hearing loss, and branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) leading to visual disturbances. The number of reported cases wor...

Conceptus attachment coincides with initiation of an anti-inflammatory cytokine profile in the pig endometrium

Abstract Blastocyst implantation is associated with quasi-inflammatory reactions in the endometrium, which are resolved during the establishment of the definitive placenta. Quasi-inflammatory processes have also been documented in pregnant pigs, even though the blastocyst only at...

Consistent drivers of coastal biodiversity across the tree of life

Coastal ecosystems are threatened by global change but remain understudied despite their importance for biodiversity and human society. For instance, most coastal studies and monitoring programs focus on a few groups of organisms owing to methodological limitations. However, high...

The gene-regulatory evolution of the human skeleton

Abstract Skeletal modifications were central to human evolution, enabling adaptations for bipedalism, large cranial vaults and childbirth 1 . Despite their importance, the genetic changes that gave rise to the unique human form remain mostly unknown 2 . Here we systematically map...

ERGA-BGE Reference Genome: Corema album ((L.) D. Don, 1830) - the Portuguese crowberry, endemic to the Iberian Peninsula.

Corema album is a perennial, dioecious shrub endemic to the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula and the Azores. It inhabits coastal dune ecosystems from Galicia to the Strait of Gibraltar, where it plays an important ecological role. The goal of this study was to assemble and...

Body size shapes average behaviour, social impact, and social responsiveness in agonistic interactions

Social interactions shape behavioural phenotypes and fitness, and are therefore major drivers of evolution. However, the precise mechanisms through which behavioural dynamics mediate the evolutionary consequences of social interactions remain poorly understood. Plastic responses...

Paler within the city: Carotenoid‐based colouration covaries negatively with the proportion of impervious surface in great tit ( Parus major ) territories across Europe

Urbanisation alters resource availability and exposes wildlife to novel environmental stressors, potentially driving phenotypic divergence. Carotenoid-based plumage colouration is a condition-dependent trait linked to dietary carotenoid acquisition and physiological allocation tr...

Population genomics unravel structural variation of venom-encoding genes across the desert viper genus Cerastes

Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying phenotypic differentiation is central to evolutionary biology. Yet most traits are shaped by complex, polygenic architectures, making links between genomic change and phenotype difficult to resolve. Venom provides an advantageous...

Disentangling unique site-specific and shared habitat-level adaptation in a classic system of repeated evolution

Repeated divergence across contrasting habitats is widely used to infer natural selection and adaptation. Such comparative inferences, however, remain inherently correlative and capture only adaptation shared among populations from the same habitat type, thereby missing site-spec...

Cognitive abilities show distinct developmental trajectories in wild meerkats

Understanding cognitive development is fundamental for explaining variation in adult cognitive phenotypes, and thus the processes driving cognitive evolution. The ontogeny of cognitive traits is likely influenced by both population-wide pressures, such as ecological demands, and...

Synchronous human-dolphin foraging increases fishing success despite prey unpredictability

Abstract Foraging theory predicts that individuals adjust their behaviour in response to environmental conditions and prey availability. One solution to finding and capturing unpredictable prey is social foraging, yet it remains unclear whether its benefits arise from behavioural...

Running wild: Forest running enhances performance, enjoyment, mood and future exercise intentions

ABSTRACT Background and objectives Physical inactivity remains widespread despite the well-established physical and mental health benefits of regular physical activity (PA). There is an urgent need for strategies that increase both uptake and long-term adherence. The Environmenta...

Decoupling of emigration timing and skill acquisition in a saturated population of golden eagles

Abstract Many animals must gain independence from parental care by acquiring skills necessary for survival. Thus, the rate of skill acquisition can predict when parental care ends and animals emigrate. However, young animals sometimes acquire adult-like skills long before they em...

Converging pathomechanisms link SARS-CoV-2 infection with major neurodegenerative diseases

Neurological complications are among typical clinical manifestations, both during the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection and long-term post-acute COVID-19 sequelae, i.e., Long COVID. A growing body of evidence connects SARS-CoV-2 infection to systemic inflammation, peripheral im...