Developmental plasticity in multimodal signals: light environment produces novel signalling phenotypes in a butterfly.

Developmental plasticity can alter the expression of sexual signals in novel environments and is therefore thought to play an important role in promoting divergence. Sexual signals, however, are often multimodal and mate choice multivariate. Hence, to understand how developmental plasticity can facilitate divergence, we must assess plasticity across signal components and its cumulative impact on signalling.

Evaluating costs of heavy metal tolerance in a widely distributed, invasive butterfly.

Organismal tolerance to environmental pollution is thought to be constrained by fitness costs, where variants with higher survival in polluted environments have lower performance in nonpolluted environments. Yet, costs are not always detected in empirical studies. One hypothesis suggests that whether tolerance costs emerge depends on the degree of heterogeneity populations experience with respect to pollution exposure.

Asymmetric interspecific competition drives shifts in signalling traits in fan-throated lizards.

Interspecific competition can occur when species are unable to distinguish between conspecific and heterospecific mates or competitors when they occur in sympatry. Selection in response to interspecific competition can lead to shifts in signalling traits-a process called agonistic character displacement. In two fan-throated lizard species- and -females are morphologically indistinguishable and male agonistic signalling behaviour is similar.