Abstract Why some organisms become invasive when introduced into novel regions while others fail to even establish is a fundamental question in ecology. Barriers success are expected filter species at each stage along the invasion pathway. No study date, however, has investigated how traits associate with from introduction spread large spatial scale any group. Using largest data set of mammalian introductions global and recently developed phylogenetic comparative methods, we show that...

The notion that large body size confers some intrinsic advantage to biological species has been debated for centuries. Using a phylogenetic statistical approach allows the rate of evolution vary across phylogeny, we find long-term directional bias toward increasing in mammals. This pattern holds separately 10 11 orders which sufficient data are available and arises from tendency accelerated rates produce increases, but not decreases, size. On branch-by-branch basis, increases have more than...

Despite decades of comparative studies, puzzling aspects the relationship between mammalian brain and body mass continue to defy satisfactory explanation. Here we show that several such arise from routinely fitting log-linear models data: correlated evolution is in fact log-curvilinear. This simultaneously accounts for phenomena which diverse biological explanations have been proposed, notably variability scaling coefficients across clades, low encephalization larger species so-called...

Rates of phenotypic evolution vary widely in nature and these rates may often reflect the intensity natural selection. Here we outline an approach for detecting exceptional shifts rate across phylogenies. We introduce a simple new branch-specific metric ∆V/∆B that divides observed change along branch into two components: (1) attributable to background (∆B), (2) departures from (∆V). Where amount expected derived variation morphological doubles explained by (∆V/∆B > 2), identify this as...

Significance Understanding growth of fish is important, both for regulating harvests wild populations sustained yields, and using artificial selection genetic engineering to increase productivity domesticated stocks. We developed theory account how rate varies with body size, within individuals as they grow maturity across species evolve. Data on in FishBase supported our theoretical predictions. found that rates scaled differently the same than species. suggest similar developmental...

Biodiversity is undergoing severe declines while threats to natural populations continue escalate worldwide. Ambitious international commitments have been made preserve biodiversity, with the goal of preventing extinctions and maintaining ecosystem resilience, yet efficacy large-scale protection remains unclear. Here we use a trait-based approach show that global actions - such as immediate abatement all across at least half species ranges for ~10,000 bird will only prevent projected...

Larger, longer-lived species are expected to have a higher cancer prevalence compared smaller, shorter-lived owing the greater number of cell divisions that occur during their lifespan. Yet, date, no evidence has been found support this expectation, and association between body size across species—a phenomenon known as Peto’s paradox. Specifically, while anticancer mechanisms identified for individual species, wider phylogenetic remained elusive. Here, we show there is paradox amphibians,...

Larger testes produce more sperm and therefore improve reproductive success in the face of competition. Adaptation to social mating systems with relatively high low competition are likely have driven changes relative size opposing directions. Here, we combine largest vertebrate mass dataset ever collected phylogenetic approaches for measuring rates morphological evolution provide first quantitative evidence how has changed over time. We detect explosive radiations diversity distributed...

The perception of taste and flavour (a combination taste, smell, chemesthesis), here also referred to as chemosensation, enables animals find high-value foods avoid toxins. Humans have learned use unpalatable toxic substances medicines, yet the importance chemosensation in this process is poorly understood. Here, we generate tasting-panel data for botanical drugs apply phylogenetic generalised linear mixed models test whether intensity complexity chemosensory qualities well particular tastes...

The most influential hypothesis about euprimate evolution postulates that their origin, radiation, and major dispersals, were associated with the exceptional warmer conditions of planet in tropical forests higher latitudes. However, this notion has proven difficult to test given overall uncertainty geographic locations palaeoclimates ancestral species. By resolution both challenges, we reveal early euprimates dispersed radiated latitudes through diverse climates defined by Köppen-Geiger...

Abstract Genital coevolution is a pervasive phenomenon as changes in one sex tend to impose fitness consequences on the other, generating sexual conflict. Sexual conflict often thought cause stronger selection males due Darwin–Bateman's anisogamy paradigm. However, recent studies have demonstrated that female genitalia may be equally elaborated and perform diverse extra‐copulatory functions. These characteristics suggest genitals can also primary targets of selection, especially where...

The fact that rapid brain size increase was clearly a key aspect of human evolution has prompted many studies focussing on this phenomenon 1–4 , and suggestions as to the underlying evolutionary patterns processes 5–10 . No study date however separated out contributions change through time within-vs. between-hominin species whilst simultaneously incorporating effects body size. Using phylogenetic approach never applied before palaeoanthropological data, we show across ~ 7 million years...

The human hand is one of our most remarkable features. We have long, opposable thumbs and a suite other features argued to be adaptations for interacting with manipulating environment, literally extending the reach cognitive powers. Consequently, enhanced manipulative dexterity, tool use increased brain size are considered key how ancestors evolved. This hypothesis predicts that anatomical dexterity co-evolved, this should evident in morphology hand. To test understand hominin evolution may...

Abstract Background Testes vary widely in mass relative to body across species, but we know very little about which genes underlie and contribute such variation. This is partly because evidence for are implicated testis size variation tends come from investigations involving just one or a few species. Contemporary comparative phylogenetic methods provide an opportunity test candidate their role phenotypic change at macro-evolutionary scale—across species over millions of years. Previous...

The perception of taste and flavour (a combination taste, smell chemesthesis) here also referred to as chemosensation, enables animals find high-value foods avoid toxins. Humans have learned use unpalatable toxic substances medicines, yet the importance chemosensation in this process is poorly understood. Here we generate tasting-panel data for botanical drugs apply phylogenetic generalised linear mixed models test whether intensity complexity chemosensory qualities well particular tastes...

The perception of taste and flavour (a combination taste, smell, chemesthesis), here also referred to as chemosensation, enables animals find high-value foods avoid toxins. Humans have learned use unpalatable toxic substances medicines, yet the importance chemosensation in this process is poorly understood. Here, we generate tasting-panel data for botanical drugs apply phylogenetic generalised linear mixed models test whether intensity complexity chemosensory qualities well particular tastes...