Small towns limit dispersal and reduce genetic diversity in populations of Texas horned lizards.

There is a general expectation that urban populations will be fragmented and the movement of individuals will be restricted leading to low effective population sizes, low genetic diversity, higher inbreeding, and higher differentiation than populations living in more continuous habitat. In this study, we compare the genetic diversity and differentiation of Texas horned lizards that are found in four small towns (Kenedy, Karnes City, Rockdale, and Smithville) in Texas and at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma to populations that occur in 16 natural areas and to an introduced population in South Carolina. We also present more detailed spatial genetic data and home range data for several of the towns.

Understanding fatality patterns and sex ratios of Brazilian free-tailed bats () at wind energy facilities in western California and Texas.

Background: Operation of wind turbines has resulted in collision fatalities for several bat species, and one proven method to reduce these fatalities is to limit wind turbine blade rotation (., curtail turbines) when fatalities are expected to be highest. Implementation of curtailment can potentially be optimized by targeting times when females are most at risk, as the proportion of females limits the growth and stability of many bat populations.

Thermal refugia and persistence of Texas horned lizards () in small towns.

Vegetation loss is a primary cause of habitat degradation and results in a decline in reptile species abundance due to loss of refuge from predators and hot temperatures, and foraging opportunities. Texas horned lizards () have disappeared from many areas in Texas, especially from urbanized areas, probably in large part due to loss of suitable habitat. This species still occurs in some small towns in Texas that still contain suitable habitat.

Intraspecific trait plasticity to N and P of the wetland invader, under flooded conditions.

Interactions between invaders and resource availability may explain variation in their success or management efficacy. For widespread invaders, regional variation in plant response to nutrients can reflect phenotypic plasticity of the invader, genetic structure of invading populations, or a combination of the two. The wetland weed (alligatorweed) is established throughout the southeastern United States and California and has high genetic diversity despite primarily spreading clonally.

Uncovering the phylogeography of in South Africa to guide biological control.

is a problematic invasive alien plant (IAP) in South Africa that is a high priority target for biological control. Biological control has been implemented in the states of Florida and Hawaii (USA), where is also an IAP. Phylogeographic work determined that there have been multiple introductions of two lineages (haplotype A and B) into the USA.

Predation release of Texas horned lizards () living in small towns.

Texas horned lizards () have a number of ways to avoid predation, including camouflage, sharp cranial horns, flattening of the body, and the ability to squirt blood from the eyes. These characteristics and their relatively low survival rates in the wild suggest these lizards are under high predation pressure. These lizards have been declining in much of their eastern range due to increased urbanization, agriculture, and loss of prey species.

Genetic diversity, population structure, and effective population size in two yellow bat species in south Texas.

There are increasing concerns regarding bat mortality at wind energy facilities, especially as installed capacity continues to grow. In North America, wind energy development has recently expanded into the Lower Rio Grande Valley in south Texas where bat species had not previously been exposed to wind turbines. Our study sought to characterize genetic diversity, population structure, and effective population size in and , two tree-roosting yellow bats native to this region and for which little is known about their population biology and seasonal movements.

Mislabelling and high mercury content hampers the efforts of market-based seafood initiatives in Peru.

Peru is experiencing a "gastronomic boom" that is increasing the demand for seafood. We investigated two implicit assumptions of two popular sustainable seafood consumer-based initiatives: (1) seafood is labelled correctly, and (2) the recommended species are healthy for consumers. We used DNA barcoding to determine the taxonomic identity of 449 seafood samples from markets and restaurants and analysed the concentration of total mercury (THg) in a sub-sample (271 samples) of these.

A new species of gecko of the genus Lygodactylus (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from southeastern Kenya.

A new species of gecko, Lygodactylus tsavoensis sp. nov., is described from Tsavo Conservation Area in southeastern Kenya.

Population genetic structure of Texas horned lizards: implications for reintroduction and captive breeding.

The Texas horned lizard () inhabits much of the southern Great Plains of North America. Since the 1950s, this species has been extirpated from much of its eastern range and has suffered declines and local extinctions elsewhere, primarily due to habitat loss. Plans are underway to use captive breeding to produce large numbers of Texas horned lizards for reintroduction into areas that were historically occupied by this species and that currently have suitable habitat.

Increasing evidence that bats actively forage at wind turbines.

Although the ultimate causes of high bat fatalities at wind farms are not well understood, several lines of evidence suggest that bats are attracted to wind turbines. One hypothesis is that bats would be attracted to turbines as a foraging resource if the insects that bats prey upon are commonly present on and around the turbine towers. To investigate the role that foraging activity may play in bat fatalities, we conducted a series of surveys at a wind farm in the southern Great Plains of the US from 2011-2016.

A new species of dwarf gecko in the genus Lygodactylus (squamata: Gekkonidae) from central Kenya.

A new species of Lygodactylus gecko (L. wojnowskii sp. nov.

The effect of genetic and environmental variation on metabolic gene expression.

What is the relationship between genetic or environmental variation and the variation in messenger RNA (mRNA) expression? To address this, microarrays were used to examine the effect of genetic and environmental variation on cardiac mRNA expression for metabolic genes in three groups of Fundulus heteroclitus: (i) individuals sampled in the field (field), (ii) field individuals acclimated for 6 months to laboratory conditions (acclimated), or (iii) individuals bred for 10 successive generations in a laboratory environment (G10). The G10 individuals have significantly less genetic variation than individuals obtained in the field and had a significantly lower variation in mRNA expression across all genes in comparison to the other two groups (P = 0.001).

Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci for two species of phyllostomid bats from the Greater Antilles (Erophylla sezekorni and Macrotus waterhousii).

We developed 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci for the buffy flower bat (Erophylla sezekorni) and 10 loci for Waterhouse's big-eared bat (Macrotus waterhousii). In E. sezekorni, we tested 65 individuals from three islands, Cuba, Exuma, and Abaco.

Weak genetic structure indicates strong dispersal limits: a tale of two coral reef fish.

The extent of dispersal by pelagic larvae in marine environments, including coral reefs, is central for understanding local population dynamics and designing sustainable marine reserves. We present here the first example of a clear stepping-stone genetic structure throughout the Caribbean basin for a common coral reef species, the French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum). Analysis of microsatellite DNA markers indicated that French grunt population structure may be characterized by overlapping populations throughout the Caribbean, influenced by independent population dynamics but with no fixed geographical boundaries.

Chloroplast and microsatellite DNA diversities reveal the introduction history of Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolius) in Florida.

Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolius) is a woody perennial that has invaded much of Florida. This native of northeastern Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil was brought as an ornamental to both the west and east coasts of Florida at the end of the 19th century. It was recorded as an invader of natural areas in the 1950s, and has since extended its range to cover over 280 000 ha.