Amanda Bretman
@amandabretman.bsky.social
Professor of Behavioural Ecology, University of Leeds, UK. The biology of sex and social environments, and Thermal Fertility Limits, mainly of fruit flies.
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
New study from @michellebeyer.bsky.social published in Animal Behaviour: Silk of females performing maternal care elicits reduced courtship responses in male spiders.
November 26, 2025 at 9:46 PM
New study from @michellebeyer.bsky.social published in Animal Behaviour: Silk of females performing maternal care elicits reduced courtship responses in male spiders.
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
ESEB's Global Evolutionary Biology Initiative invites project applications supporting local evolutionary research networks. Deadline: March 1, 2026. Max funding: €10,000. Apply: [email protected]. More … https://eseb.org/prizes-funding/global-evolutionary-biology-initiative/events-supported-by-gebi/.
Events supported by GEBI - ESEB | European Society for Evolutionary Biology
Events supported by GEBI - ESEB | European Society for Evolutionary Biology
eseb.org
November 25, 2025 at 8:23 PM
ESEB's Global Evolutionary Biology Initiative invites project applications supporting local evolutionary research networks. Deadline: March 1, 2026. Max funding: €10,000. Apply: [email protected]. More … https://eseb.org/prizes-funding/global-evolutionary-biology-initiative/events-supported-by-gebi/.
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
The prestigious Queen Elizabeth Prize for Higher and Further Education – part of the UK national Honours system – recognises Leeds’ outstanding, 150-years of textile research.
We delve into the history and explore the innovation driving the next chapter 👇 https://www.leeds.ac.uk/qep
We delve into the history and explore the innovation driving the next chapter 👇 https://www.leeds.ac.uk/qep
November 25, 2025 at 8:34 PM
The prestigious Queen Elizabeth Prize for Higher and Further Education – part of the UK national Honours system – recognises Leeds’ outstanding, 150-years of textile research.
We delve into the history and explore the innovation driving the next chapter 👇 https://www.leeds.ac.uk/qep
We delve into the history and explore the innovation driving the next chapter 👇 https://www.leeds.ac.uk/qep
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
Honored to announce the Hamilton Lecture 2026!
Leigh Simmons, Emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Western Australia has made an outstanding contribution to the field of sexual selection acting from the whole organism to its gametes, and to our Society.
Leigh Simmons, Emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Western Australia has made an outstanding contribution to the field of sexual selection acting from the whole organism to its gametes, and to our Society.
November 19, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Honored to announce the Hamilton Lecture 2026!
Leigh Simmons, Emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Western Australia has made an outstanding contribution to the field of sexual selection acting from the whole organism to its gametes, and to our Society.
Leigh Simmons, Emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Western Australia has made an outstanding contribution to the field of sexual selection acting from the whole organism to its gametes, and to our Society.
🪰🧪 now out in @evolletters.bsky.social, social environmental effects on Drosophila lifespan and reproductive senescence mean females not males "live fast, die young"! Work led by Lauren Harrison and Tracey Chapman, with @alexeimaklakov.bsky.social, funded by BBSRC @ukri.org doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Validate User
doi.org
November 11, 2025 at 9:49 AM
🪰🧪 now out in @evolletters.bsky.social, social environmental effects on Drosophila lifespan and reproductive senescence mean females not males "live fast, die young"! Work led by Lauren Harrison and Tracey Chapman, with @alexeimaklakov.bsky.social, funded by BBSRC @ukri.org doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
My lab at Indiana University is searching for a *postdoc* and *technician* to contribute to our work studying the evolution of social behavior using fruit flies as a model system. Details below, feel free to email me with any questions! More info on our research: saltzlab.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:56 PM
My lab at Indiana University is searching for a *postdoc* and *technician* to contribute to our work studying the evolution of social behavior using fruit flies as a model system. Details below, feel free to email me with any questions! More info on our research: saltzlab.com
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
Interested in thermal biology? Please join our new and growing grass roots initiative, the Thermal Ecology Alliance, initiated by @patricepottier.bsky.social. 🧪🐟🦑🌡️
Sign up here: www.thermalecologyalliance.org#participation
Check who already signed up:
www.thermalecologyalliance.org#community
Sign up here: www.thermalecologyalliance.org#participation
Check who already signed up:
www.thermalecologyalliance.org#community
November 3, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Interested in thermal biology? Please join our new and growing grass roots initiative, the Thermal Ecology Alliance, initiated by @patricepottier.bsky.social. 🧪🐟🦑🌡️
Sign up here: www.thermalecologyalliance.org#participation
Check who already signed up:
www.thermalecologyalliance.org#community
Sign up here: www.thermalecologyalliance.org#participation
Check who already signed up:
www.thermalecologyalliance.org#community
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
The value of public R&D
www.gov.uk
October 30, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
We had two papers out in Science and Scientific Reports in the past week - I couldn't be happier!
Science paper on architectural immunity:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Scientific Reports paper on the synergistic interaction between new-generation pesticide and disease:
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Science paper on architectural immunity:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Scientific Reports paper on the synergistic interaction between new-generation pesticide and disease:
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Architectural immunity: Ants alter their nest networks to prevent epidemics
In animal groups, spatial structure shapes social interaction patterns, thereby influencing the transmission of infectious diseases. Active modifications to the spatial environment could therefore be ...
www.science.org
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
We had two papers out in Science and Scientific Reports in the past week - I couldn't be happier!
Science paper on architectural immunity:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Scientific Reports paper on the synergistic interaction between new-generation pesticide and disease:
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Science paper on architectural immunity:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Scientific Reports paper on the synergistic interaction between new-generation pesticide and disease:
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
Have your say on BBSRC’s applicant-led mode funding.
The consultation will assess its effectiveness, reach and impact - your views will help shape how we support world-class bioscience.
Find out more and get involved: www.ukri.org/news/bbsrc-s...
#BBSRC
The consultation will assess its effectiveness, reach and impact - your views will help shape how we support world-class bioscience.
Find out more and get involved: www.ukri.org/news/bbsrc-s...
#BBSRC
BBSRC seeks views on its flagship funding programme
BBSRC is inviting the UK bioscience community to take part in a consultation on its applicant-led mode (formerly responsive mode) funding.
www.ukri.org
October 21, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Have your say on BBSRC’s applicant-led mode funding.
The consultation will assess its effectiveness, reach and impact - your views will help shape how we support world-class bioscience.
Find out more and get involved: www.ukri.org/news/bbsrc-s...
#BBSRC
The consultation will assess its effectiveness, reach and impact - your views will help shape how we support world-class bioscience.
Find out more and get involved: www.ukri.org/news/bbsrc-s...
#BBSRC
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
This seems rad: overexpressing FruM in a set of proboscis-motorneuron-projecting neurons makes melanogaster males add food-sharing to their courtship repertoire.
It is fascinating to see evolutionary shifts in behavior be tied so concretely to shifts in brain development!
This seems rad: overexpressing FruM in a set of proboscis-motorneuron-projecting neurons makes melanogaster males add food-sharing to their courtship repertoire.
It is fascinating to see evolutionary shifts in behavior be tied so concretely to shifts in brain development!
Cross-species implementation of an innate courtship behavior by manipulation of the sex-determinant gene
In accepting a courting male, Drosophila subobscura females require nuptial gift giving in which a male gives regurgitated crop contents to her mouth to mouth. No similar behavior is found in D. melan...
doi.org
October 20, 2025 at 2:39 AM
doi.org/10.1126/scie...
This seems rad: overexpressing FruM in a set of proboscis-motorneuron-projecting neurons makes melanogaster males add food-sharing to their courtship repertoire.
It is fascinating to see evolutionary shifts in behavior be tied so concretely to shifts in brain development!
This seems rad: overexpressing FruM in a set of proboscis-motorneuron-projecting neurons makes melanogaster males add food-sharing to their courtship repertoire.
It is fascinating to see evolutionary shifts in behavior be tied so concretely to shifts in brain development!
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
Social relationships are powerful predictors of fitness across social animals. But *why*?
In our new @cp-trendsecolevo.bsky.social paper, we outline testable predictions for why relationship quality and quantity adaptively vary across socio-ecological contexts.
tinyurl.com/55dnkeh7
In our new @cp-trendsecolevo.bsky.social paper, we outline testable predictions for why relationship quality and quantity adaptively vary across socio-ecological contexts.
tinyurl.com/55dnkeh7
October 16, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Social relationships are powerful predictors of fitness across social animals. But *why*?
In our new @cp-trendsecolevo.bsky.social paper, we outline testable predictions for why relationship quality and quantity adaptively vary across socio-ecological contexts.
tinyurl.com/55dnkeh7
In our new @cp-trendsecolevo.bsky.social paper, we outline testable predictions for why relationship quality and quantity adaptively vary across socio-ecological contexts.
tinyurl.com/55dnkeh7
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
Thank you to everyone for their support over the past 100 years, and for helping us celebrate this year. You can catch up with all our 100-year content on our special anniversary page bit.ly/4naj8Jr
October 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Thank you to everyone for their support over the past 100 years, and for helping us celebrate this year. You can catch up with all our 100-year content on our special anniversary page bit.ly/4naj8Jr
Out now - female fruit flies cluster their eggs together depending on their social environment 🪰🧪 Just wish they'd let us know why... led by @emilyrosech.bsky.social Emily Fowler, Lucy Friend and Tracey Chapman. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Female fruit flies use social cues to make egg-clustering decisions - BMC Biology
Background The ability to respond plastically to environmental variation is a key determinant of fitness. Females may use cues to strategically place their eggs, for example adjusting the number or lo...
link.springer.com
October 15, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Out now - female fruit flies cluster their eggs together depending on their social environment 🪰🧪 Just wish they'd let us know why... led by @emilyrosech.bsky.social Emily Fowler, Lucy Friend and Tracey Chapman. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
📣 @asab.org grants BOOSTED! 📣
We've increased most of our research-related grants by 50%, effective from the next deadline of 1st Feb 2026.
Check out what we offer here:
www.asab.org/grant-overview
We've increased most of our research-related grants by 50%, effective from the next deadline of 1st Feb 2026.
Check out what we offer here:
www.asab.org/grant-overview
October 14, 2025 at 4:28 PM
📣 @asab.org grants BOOSTED! 📣
We've increased most of our research-related grants by 50%, effective from the next deadline of 1st Feb 2026.
Check out what we offer here:
www.asab.org/grant-overview
We've increased most of our research-related grants by 50%, effective from the next deadline of 1st Feb 2026.
Check out what we offer here:
www.asab.org/grant-overview
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
Girls' use of parks drops after the age of 11. At a time when they should be gaining independence, many girls start to avoid parks.
Why? They feel that parks aren’t for them - there is nothing to do. Also, many state they don’t feel safe.
Why? They feel that parks aren’t for them - there is nothing to do. Also, many state they don’t feel safe.
October 7, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Girls' use of parks drops after the age of 11. At a time when they should be gaining independence, many girls start to avoid parks.
Why? They feel that parks aren’t for them - there is nothing to do. Also, many state they don’t feel safe.
Why? They feel that parks aren’t for them - there is nothing to do. Also, many state they don’t feel safe.
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
How should ejaculate ejection behaviour by females be measured? And does it correlate with female pre-mating preference?
Find out in our new paper!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Find out in our new paper!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Ejaculate Ejection by Female Fruit Flies Does Not Correlate With Mating Latency or Male Presence, Irrespective of How Ejection Is Measured
How to measure female ejaculate ejection, is it related to pre-mating sexual selection, or influenced by post-mating sexual environment? We explore these questions in fruit flies.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 7, 2025 at 3:44 PM
How should ejaculate ejection behaviour by females be measured? And does it correlate with female pre-mating preference?
Find out in our new paper!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Find out in our new paper!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
🧬 Our latest paper out in Scientific Reports!
We explored how Gum Arabic (a dietary fibre) affects the microbiota–gut–brain axis and whole-organism fitness in zebrafish.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@immler.bsky.social @biouea.bsky.social
What we found ⬇️
We explored how Gum Arabic (a dietary fibre) affects the microbiota–gut–brain axis and whole-organism fitness in zebrafish.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@immler.bsky.social @biouea.bsky.social
What we found ⬇️
Gum Arabic modulates the microbiota-gut-brain axis and affects general fitness in zebrafish - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Gum Arabic modulates the microbiota-gut-brain axis and affects general fitness in zebrafish
www.nature.com
October 2, 2025 at 11:08 AM
🧬 Our latest paper out in Scientific Reports!
We explored how Gum Arabic (a dietary fibre) affects the microbiota–gut–brain axis and whole-organism fitness in zebrafish.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@immler.bsky.social @biouea.bsky.social
What we found ⬇️
We explored how Gum Arabic (a dietary fibre) affects the microbiota–gut–brain axis and whole-organism fitness in zebrafish.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
@immler.bsky.social @biouea.bsky.social
What we found ⬇️
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
🚨 Postdoc in evolutionary genomics of heat stress adaptation position at @ucddublin.bsky.social.
📍 Dublin, Ireland
Closes: 15th Oct 2025
🔗 www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOV094/u...
📍 Dublin, Ireland
Closes: 15th Oct 2025
🔗 www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOV094/u...
October 1, 2025 at 2:21 AM
🚨 Postdoc in evolutionary genomics of heat stress adaptation position at @ucddublin.bsky.social.
📍 Dublin, Ireland
Closes: 15th Oct 2025
🔗 www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOV094/u...
📍 Dublin, Ireland
Closes: 15th Oct 2025
🔗 www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOV094/u...
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
#ISBE2026 Call for Abstracts is now open! Submit your abstract by 15 December 2025 on www.isbe2026.com
@behavecol.bsky.social
@behavecol.bsky.social
September 30, 2025 at 7:12 PM
#ISBE2026 Call for Abstracts is now open! Submit your abstract by 15 December 2025 on www.isbe2026.com
@behavecol.bsky.social
@behavecol.bsky.social
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
How do insects respond to changing climates? Our new review and analysis in @annualreviews.bsky.social suggests that phenological adaptation trumps thermal adaptation.
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Life-History Evolution of Insects in Response to Climate Variation: Seasonal Timing Versus Thermal Physiology | Annual Reviews
Climate adaptation in insects can proceed via responses in life-history traits and their thermal plasticity and through phenological shifts mediated by responses to photoperiodic cues (photoperiodism)...
www.annualreviews.org
September 30, 2025 at 8:03 AM
How do insects respond to changing climates? Our new review and analysis in @annualreviews.bsky.social suggests that phenological adaptation trumps thermal adaptation.
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
🧵 New study alert!
How does 🌡️ room temperature relate to how our body reacts to 😰 psychosocial stress?
We looked at everyday indoor temperature variation (17–28 °C) and measured stress markers in the body.
How does 🌡️ room temperature relate to how our body reacts to 😰 psychosocial stress?
We looked at everyday indoor temperature variation (17–28 °C) and measured stress markers in the body.
September 22, 2025 at 2:30 PM
🧵 New study alert!
How does 🌡️ room temperature relate to how our body reacts to 😰 psychosocial stress?
We looked at everyday indoor temperature variation (17–28 °C) and measured stress markers in the body.
How does 🌡️ room temperature relate to how our body reacts to 😰 psychosocial stress?
We looked at everyday indoor temperature variation (17–28 °C) and measured stress markers in the body.
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
New out in Molecular Ecology! In which we show that small males try harder when it comes to seminal fluid proteins. w/ @ju-morimoto.bsky.social @iremsepil.bsky.social @becks-seascience.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
September 22, 2025 at 5:18 PM
New out in Molecular Ecology! In which we show that small males try harder when it comes to seminal fluid proteins. w/ @ju-morimoto.bsky.social @iremsepil.bsky.social @becks-seascience.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
The training is based on the 5Ds of bystander intervention, designed to promote safety and not escalate the situation:
🗣️ Distract
🧑🤝🧑 Delegate
📱 Document
💙 Delay
✋ Direct
More here 👇
bit.ly/4ntiTtg
#saferparks #StandUpAgainstStreetHarassment
🗣️ Distract
🧑🤝🧑 Delegate
📱 Document
💙 Delay
✋ Direct
More here 👇
bit.ly/4ntiTtg
#saferparks #StandUpAgainstStreetHarassment
Leeds research is catalyst for major Safer Parks campaign
This September, researchers at Leeds are partnering with Keep Britain Tidy, and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to launch Safer Parks: Stand Up Against Street Harassment.
bit.ly
September 17, 2025 at 10:14 AM
The training is based on the 5Ds of bystander intervention, designed to promote safety and not escalate the situation:
🗣️ Distract
🧑🤝🧑 Delegate
📱 Document
💙 Delay
✋ Direct
More here 👇
bit.ly/4ntiTtg
#saferparks #StandUpAgainstStreetHarassment
🗣️ Distract
🧑🤝🧑 Delegate
📱 Document
💙 Delay
✋ Direct
More here 👇
bit.ly/4ntiTtg
#saferparks #StandUpAgainstStreetHarassment
Reposted by Amanda Bretman
Spiders have personalities—and in Pisaura mirabilis, opposites might attract: adventurous males and cautious females mate longer, revealing hidden personality-driven patterns in romance. Lead by @cristinatuni.bsky.social Read more here: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
September 16, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Spiders have personalities—and in Pisaura mirabilis, opposites might attract: adventurous males and cautious females mate longer, revealing hidden personality-driven patterns in romance. Lead by @cristinatuni.bsky.social Read more here: link.springer.com/article/10.1...