Resource competition drives an invasion-replacement event among shrew species on an island.

Invasive mammals are responsible for the majority of native species extinctions on islands. While most of these extinction events will be due to novel interactions between species (e.g.

Fungal microbiomes are determined by host phylogeny and exhibit widespread associations with the bacterial microbiome.

Interactions between hosts and their resident microbial communities are a fundamental component of fitness for both agents. Though recent research has highlighted the importance of interactions between animals and their bacterial communities, comparative evidence for fungi is lacking, especially in natural populations. Using data from 49 species, we present novel evidence of strong covariation between fungal and bacterial communities across the host phylogeny, indicative of recruitment by hosts for specific suites of microbes.

The population and landscape genetics of the European badger () in Ireland.

The population genetic structure of free-ranging species is expected to reflect landscape-level effects. Quantifying the role of these factors and their relative contribution often has important implications for wildlife management. The population genetics of the European badger () have received considerable attention, not least because the species acts as a potential wildlife reservoir for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Britain and Ireland.

Development of novel real-time TaqMan(®) PCR assays for the species and sex identification of otter (Lutra lutra) and their application to noninvasive genetic monitoring.

Developing strategies to maintain biodiversity requires baseline information on the current status of each individual species. The development of genetic techniques and their application to noninvasively collected samples have the potential to yield information on the structure of elusive animal populations and so are important tools in conservation management. Using DNA isolated from faecal samples can be challenging owing to low quantity and quality.