The eco-evolutionary dynamics of Batesian mimicry.

Batesian mimicry is a strategy in which palatable prey species (mimic-species) resemble unpalatable prey species with aposematism (model-species). Theoretical studies on Batesian mimicry have been conducted in terms of their evolutionary significance and ecological consequences. However, despite the importance of eco-evolutionary feedback, the evolution and population dynamics of mimicry complex have long been explored separately.

From green to red: Urban heat stress drives leaf color evolution.

Prevalence of impervious surface and resulting higher temperatures in urban areas, known as urban heat islands, comprises prominent characteristics in global cities. However, it is not known whether and how urban plants adapt to such heat stress. This study focused on , which has intraspecific polymorphism in leaf color (green and red) and examined whether the leaf color variation is associated with urban heat stress.

Species-specific model to predict amphibian metamorphosis.

Exploring the timing of life-history transitions has been a pivotal focus in the field of evolutionary ecology. Studies on amphibian metamorphosis are well suited to investigate this aspect. We propose a species-specific model to predict the optimal metamorphosis point for frog individuals with different larval growth trajectories.

Evolution of competitive traits changes species diversity in a natural field.

Studying the interaction between evolutionary and ecological processes (i.e. eco-evolutionary dynamics) has great potential to improve our understanding of biological processes such as species interactions, community assembly and ecosystem functions.

Evolutionary ecology of climacteric and non-climacteric fruits.

Fleshy fruits can be divided between climacteric (CL, showing a typical rise in respiration and ethylene production with ripening after harvest) and non-climacteric (NC, showing no rise). However, despite the importance of the CL/NC traits in horticulture and the fruit industry, the evolutionary significance of the distinction remains untested. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that NC fruits, which ripen only on the plant, are adapted to tree dispersers (feeding in the tree), and CL fruits, which ripen after falling from the plant, are adapted to ground dispersers.

Resource allocation in tragedy of the commons game in plants for belowground competition.

The tragedy of the commons (TOC) has been well known since it was proposed and has been widely applied not only to human society but also to many taxa. An increasing number of studies have focused on TOC in belowground competition in plants. In the presence of neighbors, plants overproduce roots to acquire more nutrients than their competitors, resulting in a reduction in reproductive yield.

Recurrent speciation rates on islands decline with species number.

In an archipelagic system, species diversity is maintained and determined by the balance among speciation, extinction and migration. As the number of species increases, the average population size of each species decreases, and the extinction likelihood of any given species grows. By contrast, the role of reduced population size in geographic speciation has received comparatively less research attention.

Positive Feedback between Behavioral and Hormonal Dynamics Leads to Differentiation of Life-History Tactics.

AbstractCompetitive interaction among individuals of a single population may result in the differentiation of two or more distinct life-history tactics. For example, although they exhibit unimodal size distribution, male juveniles of salmonids differentiate into those going down to the ocean to grow and returning to the natal stream after several years to reproduce (migratory tactic) and those staying in the stream and reproducing for multiple years (resident tactic). In this study, we developed a simple mathematical model for the positive feedback between hormonal and behavioral dynamics, with the expectation of establishing multiple discrete clusters of hormone levels leading to differentiation of life-history tactics.

Evolutionary bistability of life history decision in male masu salmon.

Within the salmonid species, some male juveniles after spawning in fresh water stream migrate to the ocean and return to their natal streams after maturation, while others stay and mature in the fresh water stream only. Migration is relative to the size of the individuals. This is an evolutionary outcome according to the status-dependent strategy model, which assumes that the juveniles exhibit the optimal tactic based on their status.

Correction: HIV-1 competition experiments in humanized mice show that APOBEC3H imposes selective pressure and promotes virus adaptation.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.

HIV-1 competition experiments in humanized mice show that APOBEC3H imposes selective pressure and promotes virus adaptation.

APOBEC3 (A3) family proteins are DNA cytosine deaminases recognized for contributing to HIV-1 restriction and mutation. Prior studies have demonstrated that A3D, A3F, and A3G enzymes elicit a robust anti-HIV-1 effect in cell cultures and in humanized mouse models. Human A3H is polymorphic and can be categorized into three phenotypes: stable, intermediate, and unstable.

Parameterisation and validation of a resource budget model for masting using spatiotemporal flowering data of individual trees.

Synchronised and fluctuating reproduction by plant populations, called masting, is widespread in diverse taxonomic groups. Here, we propose a new method to explore the proximate mechanism of masting by combining spatiotemporal flowering data, biochemical analysis of resource allocation and mathematical modelling. Flowering data of 170 trees over 13 years showed the emergence of clustering with trees in a given cluster mutually synchronised in reproduction, which was successfully explained by resource budget models.

Absolute versus Relative Assessments of Individual Status in Status-Dependent Strategies in Stochastic Environments.

Status-dependent strategies represent one of the most remarkable adaptive phenotypic plasticities. A threshold value for individual status (e.g.

Coevolution of mast seeding in trees and extended diapause of seed predators.

Many trees in forests show synchronized and intermittent reproduction, which is called "masting" or mast seeding. According to recent theoretical studies, the evolution of masting is promoted both by recruitment through the seedling bank and by seed predators. An important class of specialist seed predators (e.

Evolutionary jumping and breakthrough in tree masting evolution.

Many long-lived plants such as trees show masting or intermittent and synchronized reproduction. In a coupled chaos system describing the dynamics of individual-plant resource budgets, masting occurs when the resource depletion coefficient k (ratio of the reproductive expenditure to the excess resource reserve) is large. Here, we mathematically studied the condition for masting evolution.

Pollinator coupling can induce synchronized flowering in different plant species.

Synchronous and intermittent plant reproduction has been identified widely in diverse biomes. While synchronous flowering is normally observed within the same species, different species also flower in synchrony. A well-known example of interspecific synchrony is "general flowering" in tropical rain forests of Southeast Asia.