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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

@biojlinnsoc.bsky.social

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Highlighting ground-breaking science, news and key papers from the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, the world's oldest scientific journal dedicated to biological science. Blog: https://www.linnean.org/news/categories/the-paper-trail

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Jul 18

📣Call for Papers! Why are some individuals and taxa more resilient than others? Our latest Special Issue on Organismal Resilience aims to answers this question! Submit your research or register for our one-day symposium below 👇🌍🧪 academic.oup.com/biolinnean/p... @linneansociety.bsky.social

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · 1h

PNC is often assumed when discussing niche evolution, but here shows this shouldn't be taken for granted. Rapid adaptations needed to survive new environments likely demanded faster evolutionary change than PNC could allow...breaking the evolutionary rule! Read the full paper below 👇
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Do ecological interactions promote the coevolution of ecological niches in the acacias (Fabaceae: Vachellia spp.) and their mutualistic ants (Formicidae: Pseudomyrmex ferrugineus group)?

Abstract. Ecological interactions are a fundamental aspect of species niches and could play a crucial role in their evolution. The defensive mutualism betw

doi.org

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · 1h

Niche position & breadth were tested against different evolutionary models, finding Brownian Motion (where traits change gradually due to random shifts) to be the best fit. In other words, these species aren't as restricted to their ancestral niche as one might expect! What does this mean? (5/6)

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · 1h

Sometimes its not always clear if similar niches are due to shared ancestry (PNC) or as a result of these interactions. Here, this was investigated in ants and swollen-thorn acacias using phylogenetic trees for both species' groups. Using a whole-tree & split-pairwise approach, how was this done?

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · 1h

Sometimes, species remain in the same niches as their ancestors - known as the Phylogenetic Niche Conservation hypothesis. As such, closely related species often have similar niches...except where coevolution has occurred...maybe? (3/6)

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · 1h

Nature is full of fascinating relationships, but nothing quite compares to mutualisms. It is these relationships, as well as the physical environment, that helps to define a species' ecological niche (the world a species lives in)...but why do we care? (2/6)

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · 1h

New Blog Day! 🐜📣

The acacia fruit doesn't fall far from the evolutionary tree in this new blog, written by guest blogger Josie Cooper! Ever wondered how plants defend themselves from plant-eating predators? In the case of swollen-thorn acacias, the answer is ants...a 🧵 (1/6) 🌍🧪

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Ants, Acacias, and Breaking the Mould of Niche Conservatism

Discover the latest news from The Linnean Society of London.

www.linnean.org

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · 17d

Are you a PhD student ready to publish a paper? Submit your research to our journal today & enter one of our new journal prizes, celebrating PhD student work in #Botany or #Biology !🧪🌍👇
academic.oup.com/biolinnean/p...
@linneansociety.bsky.social

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · 20d

Looking to the past to predict the future...

DNA & #Climate models revealed the diversification & dispersal history of the Southern Swallowtail butterfly, as well as predicting an 89% decline in suitable habitat by 2070...highlighting the need for urgent #conservation. 🌍🧪👇

Peering into the past and predicting the future of the threatened southern swallowtail, Papilio alexanor Esper, 1799 (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)

Abstract. We investigated the evolutionary history of the threatened southern swallowtail butterfly (Papilio alexanor) using DNA sequences from COI barcode

doi.org

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Reposted by Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean Society @evojlinnsoc.bsky.social · 25d

Who you gonna call? EVOLUTIONARY SCIENTISTS!

Ghost species (no, not species of ghost) are extinct, unknown & unsampled taxa...and they vastly outnumber those included in phylogenetics. This hidden diversity can complicate phylogenetic signals of horizontal gene flow, impacting their study...(1/2)🧪

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · 27d

As a Learned Society, our journals provide vital income that funds our charitable endeavours and community engagement. By reviewing for us, you give back to our community and contribute to our mission of creating a world where nature is understood, valued, and protected. (2/2)

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · 27d

It's #PeerReviewWeek and what better opportunity exists to say a huge thank you to our excellent reviewers from across the globe. It is your hard work & commitment that enables us to continue publishing ground-breaking research in Biology, Botany, Evolution and Zoology. (1/2)

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Reposted by Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society @botjlinnsoc.bsky.social · 28d

Did you know male wasps can get tricked by orchids into thinking they're females?

Pterostylis orchids use sexual deception as a pollination strategy, with fungus gnats (Diptera) falling victim, acting as the main pollinators of these deceptive plants! 🌍🧪👇
academic.oup.com/botlinnean/a...

How widespread is pollination by sexual deception of fungus gnats in Pterostylis (Orchidaceae)?

Abstract. Pollination by sexual deception has evolved multiple times in the Orchidaceae, with most known cases involving male Hymenoptera as pollinators. T

academic.oup.com

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Sep 11

Speaker Spotlight!

Today we're sharing molecular biologist Glenn Yannic, whose research focuses on the consequences of environmental & anthropogenic changes on the genetic diversity of alpine & arctic species.

Book to see Glenn Nov 20 🌍🧪👇
buff.ly/bLADJcs.?mso...

Hybrid Day Meeting | Organismal Resilience in a Rapidly Changing World

Join us at the Linnean Society for a one-day symposium focused on the mechanisms and consequences of variation in organismal resilience

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Sep 9

Speaker Spotlight! 📣

Today we're highlighting Chloe Haberkorn, a biologist who specialises in evolutionary genomics, currently in yeast! Her PhD focused on resistance mechanisms in bed bugs (scream).

Come see Chloe on Nov 20 🧪🌍👇
buff.ly/bLADJcsmsock...
@chloehbk.bsky.social

Hybrid Day Meeting | Organismal Resilience in a Rapidly Changing World

Join us at the Linnean Society for a one-day symposium focused on the mechanisms and consequences of variation in organismal resilience

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Sep 5

Leatherbacks are critically endangered, so it's important to promote genetic diversity in the face of #ClimateChange, habitat loss & pollution. As such, understanding how they mate can help with effective #Conservation efforts! Want to know more? Read the full paper below 🌍🧪👇(6/6)
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Unveiling the secrets of leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) mating system: polygamy, polygyny, and sex ratio dynamics of a Brazilian rookery

Abstract. Studying sea turtle mating behaviour is challenging because of the difficulty of direct observation in their natural habitats. However, advances

academic.oup.com

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Sep 5

Neither behaviour really benefits the females at all, with multiple partners actually exposing them to predators, risk of disease & energy loss. So why did this happen? Likely the result of male pressure, larger females had fewer partners, so it appears size really does matter here...(5/6)

Three graphs depicting the difference between female carapace size and number of males contributing to leatherback turtle nests. Graphs are in red and green, with a schematic drawing of a leatherback female in the top right of each graph.

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Sep 5

60% of nests had multiple fathers (polyandry) and 41% of males fathered hatchlings in multiple nests (polygyny)! What does this mean? Polyandry benefits males by increasing the chances of them passing on their DNA, whilst polygyny can boost fertilisation success. But what about the females? (4/6)

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Sep 5

Using 6 microsatellite DNA markers from 15 nests in Espirito Santo, Brazil, the DNA of mothers and their hatchlings were compared to identify how many males contributed to each nest, a first for Brazil's leatherback population. But what did they find? (3/6)

A baby leatherback sea turtle lays on bright yellow sand on a beach, right near the waters edge.

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Sep 5

Mysterious by nature, leatherbacks spend their entire lives at sea, only returning to land to lay eggs. The males however? They might never return...making their mating patterns tricky to study. So how did Bispo & co do it? Using modern biology's best friend: genetics! 🌍🧪(2/6)

Two sea turtles mating in the open ocean

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Sep 5

New Blog Day! 📣

Who's your daddy? This is the question asked by guest blogger @katyakolesnykova.bsky.social, breaking down Gabriela Bispo & co's paper on leatherback turtle mating systems! A long-time mystery, DNA analysis revealed a surprising truth 🌍🧪👇 A 🧵 (1/6)

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Fathers Out Of The Blue: Leatherback Turtles Take a DNA Test

Discover the latest news from The Linnean Society of London.

www.linnean.org

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Sep 3

Speaker Spotlight!

Today we're highlighting Maren Vitousek, whose research focuses on phenotypic flexibility: how organisms respond to challenges in their environment, with a focus on tree swallows!

Book your place to hear from Maren & our other speakers on Nov 20 🌍🧪👇
buff.ly/sWmQ9WZ.

Hybrid Day Meeting | Organismal Resilience in a Rapidly Changing World

Join us at the Linnean Society for a one-day symposium focused on the mechanisms and consequences of variation in organismal resilience

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Aug 29

SCREEEEAAEEEAAEAEEEEAEAAAAA!!!!
Oop, looks like our resident pipistrelle is BAT at it again (not with white vans)...this time she's pipisTELLING you to come to our Lunchtime Lecture with @irorotanshi.bsky.social ! You BATter not miss out on this one 🧪🌍🦇

The Linnean Society of London @linneansociety.bsky.social · Aug 29

Bats love a midnight snack, and our September lunchtime lecture will see how they choose where and what to forage, with @irorotanshi.bsky.social.

Iroro is an ecologist & conservationist, & Editorial Board member for @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social.

Join us online, 24 September, 12:30 BST.

Bat Foraging | Where and How They Do It

Discover just how bats go about nabbing their night time snacks. There's more to it than you think!

buff.ly

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Reposted by Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

Oxford Academic @oxfordacademic.bsky.social · Aug 26

Have you ever wondered who’s safeguarding the Global South’s rich biodiversity?

Their voices and impact shine in the @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social‬’s Special Collection: oxford.ly/472pHJv

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Reposted by Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society @zoojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Aug 22

Body shape, a key trait in fish (they'd do wonders on Hinge), varies between geographic regions & sexes, reflecting adaptations to local environments. Here, body-shape variation among 3-spine sticklebacks was studied, revealing shape was mostly affected by sexual dimorphism! How? (1/2) 🧪🌍

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Biological Journal of the Linnean Society @biojlinnsoc.bsky.social · Aug 20

This week we're highlighting Shane Campbell-Staton! His research focuses on how human activity has influenced life, biological stress & evolution of species around the world.

Come listen to Shane & our other speakers Nov 20th! 🧪🌍👇
buff.ly/6lFTcKi.?mso...

Hybrid Day Meeting | Organismal Resilience in a Rapidly Changing World

Join us at the Linnean Society for a one-day symposium focused on the mechanisms and consequences of variation in organismal resilience