The composition of the mammalian gut microbiota can be influenced by a multitude environmental variables such as diet and infections. Studies investigating effect these on often sample across multiple separate populations habitat types. In this study we explore how variation in house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) Isle May, small island off east coast Scotland, is associated with biological factors. Our focuses effects variables, specifically trapping location surrounding vegetation, well...

Mimicry is considered a classic example of the elaborate adaptations that natural selection can produce, yet often similarity between Batesian (harmless) mimics and their unpalatable models far from perfect. Variation in mimetic accuracy puzzle, as should favour are hardest to distinguish models. Numerous hypotheses exist explain persistence inaccurate mimics, but most have rarely or never been tested against empirical observations wild populations. One reason for this difficulty measuring...

Summary The information in animal colour patterns plays a key role many ecological interactions; quantification would help us to study them, but this is problematic. Comparing using human judgement subjective and inconsistent. Traditional shape analysis unsuitable as do not usually contain conserved landmarks. Alternative statistical approaches also have weaknesses, particularly they are generally based on summary measures that discard most or all of the spatial pattern. We present method...

Hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) provide an excellent opportunity to study the evolution of Batesian mimicry, where defenseless prey avoid predation by evolving resemble defended "model" species. Although some hoverflies beautifully their hymenopteran models, others seem be poor mimics or are apparently nonmimetic. The reasons for this variation still enigmatic despite decades research. Here, we address issue mapping social-wasp mimicry across phylogeny Holarctic hoverflies. Using "distance...

The ability, propensity and need to mount an immune response vary both among individuals within a single individual over time.A wide array of parameters has been found influence state in carefully controlled experiments, but we understand much less about which these are important determining wild populations.Diet can responses, for example when nutrient availability is limited. We therefore predict that natural dietary variation will play role modulating state, this never tested.We measured...

Individuals differ in the nature of immune responses they produce, affecting disease susceptibility and ultimately health fitness. These differences have been hypothesized to an origin events experienced early life that then affect trajectories development responsiveness. Here, we investigate how early-life expression profiles influence history outcomes a natural population field voles, Microtus agrestis, which are able monitor variation between within individuals through time by repeat...

Abstract The animal immune response has hitherto been viewed primarily in the context of resistance only. However, individuals can also employ a tolerance strategy to maintain good health face ongoing infection. To shed light on genetic and physiological basis tolerance, we use natural population field voles, Microtus agrestis , search for an association between expression transcription factor Gata3, previously identified as marker this system, polymorphism 84 nonimmune genes. Our results...

Batesian mimicry, in which a harmless mimic resembles more aversive model, can encompass wide range of morphological traits, but the resemblance is never perfect. Previous studies have used abstract "prey" designs to show that differences certain traits may not be relevant mimicry if they are perceived or recognized by predator. Here, we extend these results examining how human "predators" respond realistic variation aposematic wasps and their hoverfly mimics. We measured ability humans...

The genotype of an individual is important predictor their immune function, and subsequently, ability to control or avoid infection ultimately contribute offspring the next generation. However, same genotype, subjected different intrinsic and/or extrinsic environments, can also result in phenotypic outcomes, which be missed controlled laboratory studies. Natural wildlife populations, capture both genotypic environmental variability, provide opportunity more fully understand expression...

Abstract Mammalian gastrointestinal microbiomes are highly variable, both within individuals and across populations, with changes linked to time ageing being widely reported. Discerning patterns of change in wild mammal populations can therefore prove challenging. We used high-throughput community sequencing methods characterise the microbiome field voles ( Microtus agrestis ) from faecal samples collected 12 live-trapping sessions, then at cull. Changes α- β-diversity were modelled over...

Abstract Individuals vary in their immune response and, as a result, some are more susceptible to infectious disease than others. Little is known about the nature of this individual variation natural populations, or which components pathways most responsible, but defining underlying landscape an essential first step understanding drivers ultimately, predicting outcome infection. We describe transcriptome-wide standardised challenge wild field voles. find that genes (hereafter 'markers') can...

Abstract A variety of traits is available for predators to distinguish unpalatable prey from palatable Batesian mimics. Among them, body size has received little attention as a possible mimetic trait. Size should influence predator behaviour if it shows variation between models and mimics, detectable by the in question, not overshadowed other more salient predator. Simple predictions within populations are that perfect mimics receive lowest predation rate. However, typically tightly linked...

Abstract The genotype of an individual is important predictor their immune function, and subsequently, ability to control or avoid infection ultimately contribute offspring the next generation. However, same genotype, subjected different intrinsic and/or extrinsic environments can also result in phenotypic outcomes, which be missed controlled laboratory studies. Natural wildlife populations, capture both genotypic environmental variability, provide opportunity more fully understand...

Abstract Apicomplexans are a protozoan phylum of obligate parasites which may be highly virulent during acute infections, but also persist as chronic infections appear to have little fitness cost. Babesia microti is an apicomplexan haemoparasite that, in immunocompromised individuals, can cause severe, potentially fatal disease. However, its natural host, wild field voles ( Microtus agrestis ), it exhibits that no detectable impact on survival or female fecundity. How damage minimized, and...

Abstract Individuals differ in the nature of immune responses they produce, affecting disease susceptibility and ultimately health fitness. These differences have been hypothesised to an origin events experienced early life that then affect trajectories development responsiveness. Here we investigate influences on expression profiles using a natural population field voles, Microtus agrestis , which are able monitor variation between within individuals though time by repeat (longitudinal)...

Abstract Individuals vary in their immune response and, as a result, some are more susceptible to infectious disease than others. Little is known about which components of pathways responsible for this variation, but understanding these underlying processes could allow us predict the outcome infection an individual, and manage health effectively. In study, we describe transcriptome-wide variation (to standardised challenge) wild population field voles ( Microtus agrestis ). We find that can...