Evolutionary Ecology Group

Hybridisation with Neanderthal doubted

Our new paper in PNAS casting doubts on the hybridisation between Neanderthal and modern humans is covered by BBC News, the Guardian, the Independent,the Telegraph, the San Francisco Cronicle , New Scientist, Time magazine, Cosmos, and many other media.

Eriksson, A, Manica, A. in press. Effects of ancient population structure on the degree of polymorphism shared between modern human populations and ancient hominins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA 109: 13956-13960. Read the paper

The origin of horse domestication

Our new paper in PNAS reconstructing the origins of horse domestication is covered by ScienceNOW, BBC News, the Washington Post, the Daily Mail,the Guardian, CBS News, and many other media.

Warmuth, V, Eriksson, A, Bower, MA, Barker, G, Barrett, E, Hanks, BK, Li, S, Lomitashvili, D, Ochir-Goryaeva, M, Sizonov, GV, Soyono, V, Manica, A. in press. Reconstructing the Origin and Spread of Horse Domestication in the Eurasian Steppe. PNAS 109: 8202–8206. Read the paper

Dave featured by NextGenVOICES in Science

Dave's essay is selected among the top twenty submission to Science for NextGenVOICES on the "Future of our Generation" . And another of his essays, on the "Definition of Success", also makes it in the top 50 NextGenVOICES contributions.

Daversa, D.R. (2012) NextGenVoices -- Results. Science 335: 36–38. Read the paper

Born leaders

Andrea's PNAS paper on the evolution of leadership is covered by a News and Views piece in Nature.

Johnstone, R.A., & Manica, A. (2011) Evolution of personality difference in leadership. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA 108: 8373-8378 Read the paper

Trawl fishing surviving through sale of previously discarded fish

Our new paper showing that the commercialisation of bycatch can push shrimp trawling beyond economic extinction of its target catch made the cover of Conservation Letters and is featured in the Ecologist and ScienceLine.

Lobo, A.S., Balmford, A., Arthur, R., & Manica, A. (2010) Commercializing bycatch can push a fishery beyond economic extinction. Conservation Letters 3: 277-285 Read the paper

Cleaner fish respond to the shadow of the future

Our new paper in Current Biology showing that fish can alter their cooperative behaviour depending on the likelihood of reencountering a partner is covered by the Washington Post and an interview on ABC Radio Australia. Go to our press release to see a video of a cleaner fish interacting with one of its clients.

Oates, J., Manica, A., & Bshary, R. (2010) The Shadow of the Future affects cooperation in a cleaner fish. Current Biology 20: R472-R473

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Fish take turns to solve conflicts

Our paper showing that fish take turns to solve conflicts is covered by a Dispatch article in Current Biology, and by Planet Earth.

Harcourt, J.L., Sweetman, G., Manica, A., & Johnstone, R.A. (2010) Pairs of fish resolve conflicts over coordinated movement by taking turns. Current Biology 20: 156-160

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Global trend in nature-based tourism

Our paper showing that nature-based tourism is increasing in most countries around the world is covered by a Primer artile in PLoS Biology, by New Scientist, Conservation Magazine, EcoSeed, and the Discovery Channel

Balmford, A., Beresford, J., Green, J., Naidoo, R., Walpole, & Manica, A. (2009) A global perspective on trends in nature-based tourism. PLoS Biology 7: e1000144

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Darwin Today

Our research on human origins is highlighted by Darwin Today, an interactive exhibition organised by Research Councils UK. Darwin Today is currently touring the UK, with the aim of engage people with a wide range of contemporary research and to develop a dialogue around the science and societal issues of the research. They also have a website which provides resources for schools and the wider public. Our research is featured in their fact sheet Does evolution puts us in our place?

Philip Leverhulme Award

Andrea Manica is awarded one of the Philip Leverhulme Prizes in Zoology.

BBSRC highlights work on skulls and single African origin

Our work comparing the evidence from phenotypic and gentopic diversity to investigate a single African origin of anatomically modern humans was highlighted by the BBSRC in their Annual Report to Parliament (page 14).

Honey, I Ate the Kids

Andrea's research on filial cannibalism is covered in a feature article by Susan Milius, published in The Scientist.

Live reef fish trade in Borneo

Our work documenting the decline of several coral reef fish species due to the live reef fish trade is featured in The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, The Washington Post, Practical Fishkeeping, Mongabay, and several radio interviews in South East Asia.

Scales, H., Balmford, A., & Manica, A. (2007) Impacts of the Live Reef Fish Trade on populations of coral reef fish off northern Borneo. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B 274: 989-994

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Human colonisation history affects disease resistance

Our paper showing that genetic diversity for disease resistance genes has been affected both by human colonisation history and selection from pathogens is featured in Nature Reviews Immunology Highlight.

Prugnolle F., Manica A., Charpentier M., Guegan J.F., Guernier V., & Balloux F. (2005). Worldwide HLA class I diversity: human colonisation history and pathogen-driven selection. Current Biology 15: 1022-1027

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Fathers cannibalise offspring in assassin bugs

Our paper showing that male assassin bugs cannibalise some of their offspring to be able to care for the remaining ones is featured in the BBC Wildlife Magazine.

Thomas, L. K., & Manica, A. (2003) Filial cannibalism in an assassin bug. Animal Behaviour 66: 205-210

Read the paper