Abstract Local adaptation of a species can affect community composition, yet the importance local compared with presence per se is unknown. Here we determine how compost bacterial exposed to elevated temperature changes over 2 months as result focal bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25, that had been pre-adapted or not for 48 days. The effect on composition great , these results robust an additional strong selection pressure: SBW25-specific virus. These findings suggest evolution...

Rapid and divergent evolution of male genital morphology is a conspicuous general pattern across internally fertilizing animals. thought to be the result sexual selection, role natural selection in remains controversial. However, are believed act antagonistically on form. We conducted an experimental study investigate combined effects genital-arch lobes Drosophila simulans. Replicate populations were forced evolve under lifetime monogamy (relaxed selection) or polyandry (elevated two...

The evaluation of texture features is important for several image processing applications. Texture analysis forms the basis object recognition and classification in domains. There a range extraction methods their performance an part understanding utility feature tools analysis. In this paper we evaluate five different methods. These are autocorrelation, edge frequency, primitive-length., Law's method, co-occurrence matrices. All these used Meastex database. This publicly available database...

Abstract Inbreeding frequently leads to inbreeding depression, a reduction in the trait values of inbred individuals. depression has been documented sexually selected characters several taxa, and while there is correlational evidence that male fertility especially susceptible have few direct experimental examinations this. Here, we assessed range other fitness correlates Drosophila simulans . We found attractiveness were depression. Additionally, levels testicular oxidative stress...

Host shifts–where a pathogen jumps between different host species–are an important source of emerging infectious disease. With on-going climate change there is increasing need to understand the effect changes in temperature may have on We investigated whether species' susceptibilities with and ask if susceptibility greatest at temperatures species. infected 45 species Drosophilidae RNA virus measured how viral load temperature. found phylogeny explained large proportion variation each...

Death-feigning, or thanatosis, is an anti-predator behavioral strategy in many animals. Because individuals remain immobile while feigning death, with longer durations of death often show lower locomotor activity. Thus, metabolic rate, which closely related to activity, may also be the intensity feigning. If there a genetic correlation between and metabolism, rate respond selection on death-feigning behavior. Here, we tested for relationship using replicated populations red flour beetle...

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are key components of the insect cuticle and contribute to wide geographical distribution this taxon. Many studies have investigated sex population differences in CHC profiles, with these investigations mostly focusing on latitudinal variation, whereas variation across altitudinal transects is less well-studied. Here, we tested whether profiles vary along an gradient cosmopolitan vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster. We collected from three populations D....

Terpenoids play a vital role in pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and various industries, they are produced through the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway, with IspH catalyzing final step. This study explores homologs Bacillus other bacteria to aid enzyme engineering. Sequence analysis showed conservation range of 46-79%. Phylogenetic (log-likelihood -71,581.08, bootstrap 80-100) validated evolutionary relationships. Structural modeling revealed conserved functional motifs. Molecular docking...

Natural and sexual selection are classically thought to oppose one another, although there is evidence for this, direct experimental demonstrations of this antagonism largely lacking. Here, we assessed the effects natural on evolution cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), a character subject both modes selection, in Drosophila simulans. were manipulated fully factorial design, after 27 generations evolution, responses male female CHCs assessed. The differed greatly across sexes. generally small,...

Abstract Ranaviruses are responsible for a lethal, emerging infectious disease in amphibians and threaten their populations throughout the world. Despite this, little is known about how amphibian respond to ranaviral infection. In United Kingdom, ranaviruses impact common frog ( Rana temporaria ). Extensive public engagement study of UK has led formation unique system field sites containing history. Within this natural system, we used RNA sequencing ‐Seq) compare gene expression profiles R....

The seemingly transparent wings of many insects have recently been found to display unexpected structural coloration. These colours (wing interference patterns: WIPs) may be involved in species recognition and mate choice, yet little is known about the evolutionary processes that shape them. Furthermore, date investigations WIPs not fully considered how they are actually perceived by viewers' colour vision. Here, we use multispectral digital imaging a model Drosophila vision compare male...

Abstract The male genitals of internal fertilisers evolve rapidly and divergently, sexual selection is generally responsible for this. Many sexually selected traits are condition‐dependent—with their expression dependent upon the resources available to be allocated them—as revealed by genetic or environmental manipulations condition. However, it not clear whether also condition‐dependent. Here we manipulate condition in two ways (via inbreeding diet) test condition‐dependence genital arch...

Abstract Female mate preference is central to sexual selection, and all indirect benefit models require that there genetic variation in female preference. This has rarely been tested however, with relatively few studies documenting heritable even fewer have directly selected on unequivocally show it can evolve. Additionally, costs of are poorly understood though these implications for evolution. We ebony‐ males replicate Drosophila simulans lines, generated a rapid evolutionary response both...

Female mate choice is one mechanism of sexual selection and, provided there adequate genetic variation in the male traits that are target this selection, they will evolve via female choice. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) important Drosophila choice, but relatively little known about underlying architecture CHC profiles simulans. Here, we used gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to investigate patterns and D. simulans using isofemale lines. We found substantial for individual components, CHCs...

Female mate choice and male–male competition are the typical mechanisms of sexual selection. However, these two do not always favour same males. Furthermore, it has recently become clear that female can sometimes benefit males reduce fitness. So whether or different males, females from choice, remain open questions. In horned beetle, Gnatocerus cornutus, have enlarged mandibles used to fight rivals, larger provide a mating advantage when there is direct for mates. prefer highly competitive...

Abstract Sexual selection is responsible for the evolution of many elaborate traits, but sexual trait could be influenced by opposing natural as well genetic constraints. As such, traits depend heavily on environment if expression and attractiveness vary between environments. Here, male Drosophila simulans were reared across a range diets temperatures, we examined differences these environments in terms (i) cuticular hydrocarbons ( CHC s) (ii) which profiles most attractive to females....

Abstract Theory shows how sexual selection can exaggerate male traits beyond naturally selected optima and also natural ultimately halt trait elaboration. Empirical evidence supports this theory, but to our knowledge, there have been no experimental evolution studies directly testing logic, little examination of possible associated effects on female fitness. Here we use replicate populations broad-horned flour beetles test for sex-specific predation an exaggerated sexually (the mandibles),...

Passive acoustic monitoring is a promising tool for at-risk populations of vocal species, yet extracting relevant information from large datasets can be time-consuming, creating bottleneck at the point analysis. To address this, we adapted an open-source framework deep learning in bioacoustics to automatically detect Bornean white-bearded gibbon ( Hylobates albibarbis ) “great call” vocalisations long-term dataset rainforest location Borneo. We describe steps involved developing this...

Passive acoustic monitoring is a promising tool for at-risk populations of vocal species, yet, extracting relevant information from large datasets can be time-consuming, creating bottleneck at the point analysis. To address this, an open-source framework deep learning in bioacoustics to automatically detect Bornean white-bearded gibbon (Hylobates albibarbis) “great call” vocalizations long-term dataset rainforest location Borneo adapted. The steps involved developing this solution are...

There has been recent debate about the expected allometry of sexually-selected traits. Although traits exhibit a diversity allometric patterns, signalling characters are frequently positively allometric. By contrast, insect genitalia tend to be negatively allometric, although nongenital in insects is largely unknown (with some notable exceptions). It also suggested that there should negative association between asymmetry and size bilaterally-paired, traits, this claim controversial. We...

The Fisherian sexual selection paradigm has been called the null model of selection. At its heart is expectation a genetic correlation (rG ) between female preference and male trait. However, recent meta-analysis shown estimated correlations are often extremely weak not statistically significant. We show here that systematic failure studies to reject hypothesis rG = 0 almost certainly due low power most experimental designs used. provide an easy way assess priori suggest current data make it...

The entomopathogenic fungus Akanthomyces muscarius is commonly used in agriculture to manage insect pests. Besides its use as a commercially important biological control agent, it also presents potential model for studying host–pathogen interactions and the evolution of virulence laboratory setting. Here, we describe first high-quality genome sequence A. . We long- short-read sequencing assemble 36.1 Mb with an N 50 4.9 Mb. Genome annotation predicted 12347 genes, 96.6 % completeness based...