The aardwolf (Proteles cristata) is a unique, insectivorous species of the family Hyaenidae. It occupies a disjunct range in eastern and southern Africa and is possibly a remaining member of a historical dog-like hyaena ...

Spatially synchronous fluctuations of animal populations have profound ecological consequences, especially in northern latitudes. Spatially coupled fluctuations are often seen in small rodent populations, albeit with ...

Environmental gradients are caused by gradual changes in abiotic factors, which affect species abundances and distributions, and are important for the spatial distribution of biodiversity. One prominent environmental ...

Different non-invasive techniques have been used to determine herbivore diet composition from fecal samples, including micro-histological analysis of epidermal fragments. This method can provide reliable semi-quantitative ...

The bat-eared fox, Otocyon megalotis, is the only member of its genus and is thought to occupy a basal position within the dog family. These factors can lead to challenges in complete mitochondrial reconstructions and ...

Changes in abiotic factors along altitudinal and latitudinal gradients cause powerful environmental gradients. The topography of alpine areas generates environmental gradients over short distances, and alpine areas are ...

In this note I want to point out a potentially concerning bias in evolutionary hypothesis testing. In evolutionary research, deductive hypothesis testing is the most common way of achieving information on causal relationships ...

Living under predation risk may alter both behaviour and physiology of potential prey. In extreme cases, such alterations may have serious demographic consequences, and recent studies support that non-lethal effects of ...

Savannah ecosystems exhibit constant transitions between states dominated by trees and states dominated by a combination of trees and grasses. Transitions between these states are driven by interactions between fire and ...

Mountain topography gives rise to often dramatic climate-driven elevation gradients in primary productivity, which can generate substantial biodiversity variation. Therefore, mountain areas may be particularly useful for ...