Rapid differentiation of sexual signals in invasive toads: call variation among populations.

Advertisement calls tend to differ among populations, based on morphological and environmental factors, or simply geographic distance, in many taxa. Invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina) were introduced to Australia in 1935 and their distribution has expanded at increasing rates over time. Rapid evolution occurred in morphological and behavioural characters that accelerate dispersal, but the effects of rapid expansion on sexual signals have not been examined.

Determinants of the pathways of litter chemical decomposition in a tropical region.

Litter decomposition is a key ecosystem process, yet our understanding of the drivers in chemical changes in leaves during decay is limited. Our aim was to determine the comparative differences (chemical divergence or convergence) between sites and the drivers of decay pathways. We used the litterbag method ('in situ' litterfall and standardized 'control' leaves) in Australian tropical rainforests and near-infrared spectrometry to show the chemical pathways during decomposition (c.