Terminology in ecology and evolutionary biology disproportionately harms marginalized groups

PLoS Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 23(1), P. e3002933 - e3002933

Published: Jan. 6, 2025

The discipline of ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB) has long grappled with issues inclusivity representation, particularly for individuals systematically excluded marginalized backgrounds or identities. For example, significant representation disparities still persist that disproportionately affect women gender minorities; Black, Indigenous, People Color (BIPOC); disabilities; people who are LGBTQIA+. Recent calls action have urged the EEB community to directly address inclusion, justice, equity. One aspect this endeavor is examine use EEB’s discipline-specific language terminology, which may potential perpetuate unjust systems isolate groups. Through a mixed-methods survey, we examined how members perceive including they believe it can be harmful terms identified as problematic. Of 795 survey respondents, found almost half agreed there in many from groups responded been harmed by such terminology. Most relate race, ethnicity, immigration; sex gender; geopolitical hierarchies; historical violence. Our findings suggest an urgent need confront critically reassess its By identifying their impacts, our study represents crucial first step toward dismantling deeply rooted exclusionary structures EEB. We encourage individuals, communities, institutions these reevaluate used disciplinary research, teaching mentoring, manuscripts, professional societies. Rectifying current harms will help promote more just inclusive discipline.

Language: Английский

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Repeated behavioural evolution is associated with convergence of gene expression in cavity-nesting songbirds

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 28, 2025

Language: Английский

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The evolution of social play in songbirds, parrots and cockatoos - emotional or highly complex cognitive behaviour or both?

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 161, P. 105621 - 105621

Published: March 12, 2024

Social play has been described in many animals. However, much of this social behaviour among birds, particularly adults, is still relatively unexplored terms the environmental, psychological, and dynamics play. This paper provides an overview what we know about adult birds addresses areas which subtleties distinctions, such as initiation organisation its relationship to expressions play, are considered detail. The considers emotional, social, innovative, cognitive aspects then environmental conditions affiliative bonds, suggesting a surprisingly complex framework criteria awaiting further research. Adult so far studied only small number avian species, exclusively those with large brain relative body size without necessarily addressing functions lateralization. When lateralization function considered, it can illuminate possibly significant relevance evolution cognition, management emotions, development sociality.

Language: Английский

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Sex diversity in the 21st century: Concepts, frameworks, and approaches for the future of neuroendocrinology

Hormones and Behavior, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 157, P. 105445 - 105445

Published: Nov. 17, 2023

Sex is ubiquitous and variable throughout the animal kingdom. Historically, scientists have used reductionist methodologies that rely on a priori sex categorizations, in which two discrete sexes are inextricably linked with gamete type. However, this binarized operationalization does not adequately reflect diversity of observed nature. This due, part, to fact exists across many levels biological analysis, including genetic, molecular, cellular, morphological, behavioral, population levels. Furthermore, mechanisms governing embedded complex networks dynamically interact other systems. To produce most accurate scientifically rigorous work examining neuroendocrinology capture full range variability present systems, we must critically assess frameworks, experimental designs, analytical methods our research. In perspective piece, first propose new conceptual framework guide integrative study sex. Then, provide practical guidance research approaches for studying sex-associated variables, factors consider design, selection model organisms, methodologies, statistical analyses. We invite fellow conscientiously apply these modernized advance understanding encourage academically socially responsible outcomes work. By expanding frameworks methodological sex, will gain insight into unique ways organization vast array

Language: Английский

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A focus on females can improve science and conservation

Ibis, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 5, 2025

As a field, ecology has historically misunderstood or overlooked female organisms, assumed that they are ‘similar enough’ to males. The typical unit of study for research stops at the species level, but can be too coarse and obscure important intraspecific differences. Projecting results studies based on only half population (i.e. males) onto females misleading, if not dangerous, as birds differ from males in key aspects their biology. Birds widespread sexed more often than most other taxa; yet although it uses them model current ornithological is disproportionately male birds. We review some fields pertinent conservation highlight biases gaps. find that, counter ‘traditional’ assumptions, reproductive roles balanced between sexes across many, all, species. In addition, sing, tend dispersive males, have lower survival, use different habitats – which implications may affected by climate change differently. call ornithologists separately because lack attention these differences real‐world implications. Potential solutions include training observers recognize traits, using field methods increase detection (e.g. catching during migration season, DNA determine sex), broadening geographical regions recruiting diverse group scientists help equalize research.

Language: Английский

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Six-decade research bias towards fancy and familiar bird species

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 292(2044)

Published: April 1, 2025

Human implicit biases towards visually appealing and familiar stimuli are well documented rooted in our brains’ reward systems. For example, humans drawn to charismatic, organisms, but less is known about whether such permeate research choices among biologists, who strive for objectivity. The factors driving effort, as aesthetics, logistics species’ names, poorly understood. We report that, from 1965 2020, nearly half of the variation publication trends 293 North American male passerine near-passerine birds was explained by three subject human bias: aesthetic salience (visual appeal), range size (familiarity) number universities within ranges (accessibility). also demonstrate that endangered featured on journal covers had higher salience, with eponymous names were studied much those not named after humans. Thus, ornithological knowledge, decisions based thereon, heavily skewed fancy, species. This knowledge disparity feeds a cycle public interest, environmental policy, conservation, funding opportunities scientific narratives, shrouding potentially important information proverbial plumage drab, distant, disregarded unintended consequences biologists’ may exacerbate organismal inequalities amid biodiversity declines limit inquiry.

Language: Английский

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Conditioned preferences: Gated by experience, context, and endocrine systems

Hormones and Behavior, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 161, P. 105529 - 105529

Published: March 15, 2024

Central to the navigation of an ever-changing environment is ability form positive associations with places and conspecifics. The functions location social conditioned preferences are often studied independently, limiting our understanding their interplay. Furthermore, a de-emphasis on natural has led neurobiological interpretations separated from ecological context. By adopting naturalistic ethological perspective, we uncover complexities underlying expression preferences. Development combination motivation, reward, associative learning, context, including for spatial environments. Both social- location-dependent reward-responsive behaviors conditioning rely internal state-gating mechanisms that include neuroendocrine hormone systems such as opioids, dopamine, testosterone, estradiol, oxytocin. Such reinforced behavior emerges integrating past experience current environmental conditions. Moreover, stimuli, state gate modulate motivation learning via shaping process. We highlight research incorporating these concepts, focusing integration behavioral conditioning. explore three paradigms: 1) place preference, 2) 3) preference. nonclassical species emphasize applications To fully appreciate complex information, future must identify neural networks where endocrine exert influence behaviors. promises provide valuable insights into within broader

Language: Английский

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Sex differences in aggressive intensities and brain steroids during status resolution in a sex changing fish, Lythrypnus dalli

Hormones and Behavior, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 153, P. 105373 - 105373

Published: May 12, 2023

For vertebrates living in social hierarchies, the neuroendocrine system regulates temporal aspects of aggressive interactions during status establishment. In teleost fishes, sex steroids 17β-estradiol (E

Language: Английский

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Androgen-armoured amazons: reversed sex roles in coucals are associated with testosterone in females but not males

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 290(1995)

Published: March 29, 2023

In some species, sexual selection is stronger in females than males. classically polyandrous birds, for instance, compete mating opportunities and males care offspring. Sex steroids such as testosterone have been suggested to regulate the behaviours of ‘role-reversed’ males, but comparative studies did not find evidence a role relation sex roles. However, large variability hormone measurements across laboratories may prevent detecting subtle differences levels. To circumvent this caveat, I compared steroid concentrations two closely related cohabiting species with different systems: black coucal ( Centropus grillii ) monogamous white-browed C. superciliosus ). Baseline gonadotropin-releasing (GnRH)-induced were twice high female coucals coucals, low pre-breeding progesterone consistent progesterone's modulatory during agonistic interactions species. GnRH-induced differ between both This study provides first that elevated associated sex-role-reversed traits females, whereas levels be necessary facilitate sex-role reversal

Language: Английский

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Phylotranscriptomics reveals convergent behavioral evolution associated with shared and unique mechanisms in cavity-nesting songbirds

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 15, 2024

Uncovering the genomic bases of phenotypic adaptation is a major goal in biology, but this has been hard to achieve for complex behavioral traits. Here, we leverage repeated, independent evolution obligate cavity-nesting birds test hypothesis that pressure compete limited breeding resource facilitated convergent behavior, hormones, and gene expression. We used an integrative approach, combining aggression assays field, testosterone measures, transcriptome-wide analyses brain wild-captured females males. Our experimental design compared species pairs across five avian families, each including one related with more flexible nest strategy. find convergence, higher levels territorial cavity-nesters, particularly among females. Across species, circulation were not associated strategy, nor aggression. Phylogenetic individual genes co-regulated networks revealed shared patterns expression than expected by drift, scope was small percent genome. When comparing our results other studies did use phylogenetic methods, suggest accounting evolutionary history may reduce number inferred as convergently evolving. Altogether, convergence response ecological pressures largely different punctuated narrow set evolving genes.

Language: Английский

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