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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 18h

Crop breeding & fertilisation can disrupt soil microbe mutualisms. Yet, new research on peas found that seed yield and N₂ fixation were positively genetically correlated. Breeding could therefore raise both yield and symbiotic nitrogen fixation 🌱 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70330

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Key areas for this Special Issue: 🧬 Epigenetic clocks & age prediction 🧬 Biomarkers across all epigenetic modifications 🧬 Stress biomarkers (climate, pollution, invasions) 🧬 Diagnostic, monitoring & prognostic biomarkers 🧬 Functional biomarkers of adaptive capacity

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Why epigenetic biomarkers? Unlike genetic variation, epigenetic modifications are dynamic & responsive, but can be stable across tissues, time & populations. They link environmental conditions to phenotype, making them powerful tools for monitoring & conservation 🧬🌍

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

New research on catfish! By analyzing the myostatin-b gene across 535 Thai clariid fish from 19 populations, scientists uncovered 8 novel alleles. This sheds light on growth variation and conservation concerns in hybrid catfish farming 🐟 doi.org/10.1111/eva....

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

We're delighted to announce the promotion of Associate Editors to Senior Editors in recognition of their long-standing service to EVA 👏👏👏 Thanks for your commitment and expertise! Congratulations! 🎉 Luciano Beheregaray, @profkathrynelmer.bsky.social, Zach Gompert, Frédéric Thomas & Jiasui Zhan 🧑‍🔬

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

🚨 Editorial opportunity at EVA! 🚨 We are seeking an Associate Editor with broad knowledge of evolutionary biology to handle diverse studies applying evolution to practical challenges. For example: • Selective breeding/agriculture • Conservation & fisheries • Invasions & hybrids • Applied genomics

Banner calling fro new associate editors. It says "Do you have expertise in evolutinary biology and its real-world applications? Help shape the future of research in conservation, agriculture, genomics, invasion biology and more"

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Genomic data on California towhee reveal peripheral populations with low diversity, high inbreeding, and bottleneck signatures. This highlights a conservation dilemma: save locally adapted variants or prioritize the core gene pool? 🐦‍⬛🧬 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70313

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

New 1.16M structural variant atlas in Pacific white shrimp suggests population-specific selection signals, convergent candidate genes, and population structure. Ready for breeding and traceability applications! 🦐🧬 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70312

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Caribou in western Canada are losing genetic diversity. Study of 759 caribou shows southern populations are highly inbred, 12 groups have Ne<50, and a north-to-south wave of declines mirrors human impact & climate shifts. Urgent action needed for the most at-risk herds 🦌 oi.org/10.1111/eva.70311

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Study shows that E. cyclocarpum trees across Colombia's dry forests show regional adaptation to heat & drought. However, adaptive alleles are unevenly distributed, and future climate offset is high across all regions. These threatened dry biomes need urgent conservation 🔥🌳 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70302

Enterolobium cyclocarpum tree, a widespread deciduous legume tree found in seasonally dry tropical forests of Colombia.

Distribution of Enterolobium cyclocarpum across south-central Mexico, Central America and northern South America, and sampling sites of this study.

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

📣 Introducing a new article type: Resource Articles! We're calling for accessible tools, databases, & frameworks with clear applied value for management and conservation. Broad relevance across taxa & ecosystems matters, not just single-species studies! 🌍🔬 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal...

Banner introducing a new article type: the resource articles.

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

New study on Taiwan’s Formosan Duke butterfly reveals that mountain barriers & climate gradients drive rapid genetic splits even in strong fliers. This leads to lineage-specific vulnerabilities, giving important insights for conservation 🧬🌏 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70309

Formosan Duke (Euthalia formosana), an endemic butterfly in Taiwan

Morphological variation and geological distribution of Euthalia formosana in Taiwan. Panel with eesting posture of a male E. formosana. Panel with Geographic variation in pupal morphologies. Panel with geographic variation in the ventral side of the adult hindwing, where red arrow indicates the black marginal area. Panel showing historical occurrence records (grey) and sampling localities included in this study (red).

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

New study on white anglerfish reveals extensive hybridization with black anglerfish, with up to 20% hybrids (F1) around the Celtic Sea. Demographic data suggest recent Atlantic colonization & smaller black anglerfish populations 🧬🐟🌊 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70288

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

New research on western larch show weak local adaptation to drought & reduced trait variation under water stress. The authors show these iconic trees may have limited potential to adapt to our future climate 🌲🧬 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70291

Picture of a branch of western larch (Larix occidentalis)

Phenotypic and genomic study design: a common garden experiment and a provenance trial in southeast British Columbia

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

With rapid environmental shifts, preserving locally adapted populations is critical. New study maps genomic regions associated with climatic factors in leopard frog (Rana pipiens). This may help us understand if these frogs can keep up with changing climate doi.org/10.1111/eva.70298

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Generation length (G) is key in pops with overlapping generations, yet it is frequently ignored or misestimated. Estimating G requires detailed life-history data for both sexes. Without it, model comparisons, heterozygosity loss & demographic reconstructions are unreliable doi.org/10.1111/eva.70256

Photo: Diane Haddon
Picture of baobab trees. Baobabs flower at 13 years old, so their generation length is often attributed to be 13 years. However, baobabs live for hundreds or thousands of years. This has important implications for the conservation of baobabs in Madagascar.

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Captive breeding is an important conservation tool, but it comes with hidden risks. A new study on the critically endangered White-winged Wood Duck reveals that inbreeding in captivity accelerates deadly avian tuberculosis susceptibility 🧬🦆 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70286

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Human activities reshape species trait distributions and phylogenetic diversity, erode genetic diversity, accelerate extinctions. Evolutionary Footprint is a new scoring system to identify, quantify and compare impacts across taxa, drivers, and timescales, important to link evolution to conservation

Multidimensional indicator for the macroevolutionary footprint, illustrating projections of the cumulative human macroevolutionary footprint on the mammal taxon by 2100 relative to a pre-industrial reference, under the worst extinction scenario based on the IUCN Red List.

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Study shows size-selective harvesting pushes guppies to evolve faster life histories (earlier maturation, higher fecundity). This was done over 10 years, using 14+ traits. This hints at anthropogenic stressors that affect large individuals in nature more than small ones 🐟 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70253

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Hong Kong’s introduced population of critically endangered yellow-crested cockatoos (~200 birds) shows very healthy genetics, avoiding inbreeding & low diversity. Maybe these city parrots serve as a genetic reservoir for the native range 🦜🧬 doi.org/10.1111/eva....

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

This unarmored trait that made this population “Special Concern” under Canadian law nearly disappeared after a demographic bottleneck. They show how conservation isn’t just about preventing extinction, but also about protecting what makes a population unique 🐟🧬

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Sarah's study shows how pops. of conservation concern are often unique & specialized, but also vulnerable. The authors showed how a severe drought caused a dramatic shift in unarmoured stickleback in Rouge Lake (Haida Gwaii: before drought, 51% were unarmoured; after, only 13% 🐟

Panel (A) Map of Haida Gwaii showing the location of Rouge Lake. Panel (B) The top image shows a simplified representation of a common freshwater threespine stickleback, and the bottom image shows a typical Unarmoured Stickleback. Panel (C) The image on the left shows Rouge Lake in 2015 when the drought occurred, and the image on the right shows Rouge Lake in 2022.

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

We're delighted to announce Sarah Sanderson (McGill University) as the winner of the 2025 Louis Bernatchez Memorial Prize for the best student-led paper in Evolutionary Applications! Congratulations, @sarahsanderson.bsky.social 🎉🎉🎉

Banner showing the picture of Sarah Sanderson, winner of Louis Bernatchez Price of 2025. Her paper is entitled "Contemporary Evolution of an At-Risk Stickleback Population During a Severe Drought.

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

New review shows that black soldier flies don't mate like other insects. They show protandry, lek-like behavior, complex female sperm storage organs, and a hybrid breeding strategy. An emerging model bridging evolutionary biology and insect biotechnology 🪰🧬 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70249

Black soldier flies, Hermetia illucens, mating.

Graphical overview of the work, detailing pre-copulatory mechanisms such as pheromones, lekking dynamics, visual cues, body size; and post-copulatory mechanisms, such as ejaculate allocation, nuptial gift, sperm precedence, etc.

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

New study shows that using high-quality genome for the Near Threatened red roman (Chrysoblephus laticeps) improves detection of genetic diversity, FST, & Ne estimates. Species-specific genomes matter, especially for vulnerable marine fishes 🐟🧬 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70247

Picture of the red roman Chrysoblephus laticeps fish.

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Parasites are evolving fast in the Anthropocene. Drug resistance is well known, but other rapid trait changes often go unnoticed. This warning piece summarizes research and calls for more studies to track, slow, and mitigate rapid parasite evolution 🦠🧬 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70244

Image of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus on agar petri dish.

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Here's a list of confirmed keynote speakers: ✨ Loren Rieseberg (Molecular Ecology) ✨ Maren Wellenreuther (Evolutionary Applications, @marenwellenreuther.bsky.social) ✨ Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos ✨ Suhua Shi ✨ Jianquan Liu ✨ Yalong Guo See you in Chengdu! 🧬🇨🇳

Illustrations of attractions of Chengdu, including the food, the Chengdu panda base, art performances and a nice illustration of the city by the river.

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Invasive rodents are a threat, especially in islands. Toxic baits work, but not everywhere. Study shows new genetic biocontrol tools that could help in the critical "last mile" of eradication. The 'Gravid Lethal' approach eradicated house mice in <2.3 years 🐀 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70238

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Scientists built a DNA methylation clock for Asian elephants with 96% accuracy of age prediction, associating aging to genes for neurogenesis, oxytocin, and metabolism. This can be linked to-life history traits. Great tool for conservation and evolutionary biology 🐘⏰ doi.org/10.1111/eva.70236

Four Asian elephants of different ages bathing on a pond.

Predicted DNA methylation age from the final epigenetic clock model. It shows a relationship close to 1 (r = 0.96).

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Pain sensitivity in women is shaped by evolutionary trade-offs between reproduction and survival, driven by early menarche, low testosterone, and high leptin. Check this evolutionary-medical lens for understanding and reducing female-biased pain 🙆‍♀️🧬 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70228

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

Dr. Arunkumar Ramesh's work examines the molecular mechanisms of epigenetic regulation and their evolution in plants. His study systems include Arabidopsis, Capsella & wheat, rice, and sunflower crops, translating insights from tractable models to species with large and complex genomes

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

The EVA team got bigger 🤩 We have 2 new Associate Editors joining the team: Dr. Sishuo Wang (left, @sishuowang.bsky.social) and Dr. Arunkumar Ramesh (right)! Let's give them our warmest welcome! 🎉🎉

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Can we help plants keep up with climate change? In their study, @carlos-lara0.bsky.social et al. tested whether moving beneficial genes from southern to northern populations of Lupinus angustifolius could boost their ability to cope with warmer conditions 🌱 (1/2) 📸 Sandra Sacristán‑Bajo

Pictures of Lupinus angustifolius taken by Sandra Sacristán‑Bajo at the experimental facilities where experiments were carreid out

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

The northern white rhino is effectively extinct. Can a healthy pop be restored from cryopreserved cells of only 12 inds? @arynwilder.bsky.social et al. show how restoration from biobanked cells eases constraints of a limited founder pool to enable recovery 🦏 📸 San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

How do we choose source pops. for genetic rescue? Black et al. use genome-wide data & 50-generation simulations in the southern brown bandicoot to show: (1) closely related pops. can deliver sustained diversity gains; (2) simulations matter more than simple metrics 🐾 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70050

This picture shows the southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus), a short-nosed bandicoot, a type of marsupial, found mostly in southern Australia (Source: Wikipedia).

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

Special Issue on Genetic Rescue is out 🎉🎉🎉 The 21 papers on the SI highlight how evolutionary biology can enhance resilience & long-term survival of biodiversity. Introducing genetically diverse individuals can boost fitness in small, isolated populations 🧬🌿 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70225

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Great news 🎉🎉🎉 We have extended the deadline to submit to the Joint Special Issue with Molecular Ecology on "Evolutionary Genomics & Climate Change" 🌍🧬 📅 Submit by June 30🏃‍♂️ Reach out to us and @marenwellenreuther.bsky.social if you wanna know more! Please help us spread the word 🐕

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Captive rearing can alter phenotypes & reduce fitness. This review summarizes how DNA methylation is linked to changes in behavior, color & development across salmonids. It proposes using epigenetics for monitoring and to boost survival 🐟🧬 w/@clarevenney.bsky.social doi.org/10.1111/eva.70210

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

One study investigated the native range of a planthopper used against invasive water hyacinth. They show 3 lineages shaped by ancient climate shifts & river basins with ongoing gene flow. This helps select the best populations for release in the US & South Africa 🌿🧬 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70208

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

This work shows oceanographic barriers that may shape adaptation and inform regional conservation, and provides critical insights for targeted #conservation and #management of coral #biodiversity under climate change across large ocean regions 🪸 w/ @annie-guillaume.bsky.social

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

Rising ocean temperatures threaten #corals in the Western Indian Ocean 🌊 #seascapegenomics helped identify coral populations and genes associated with thermal tolerance in two coral species 🧬 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70206 📷 O. Selmoni, C. Dale & UNDP Mauritius and Seychelles Collage by Annie Guillaume

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Poop can save species 💩 Scientists used fecal metagenomics to find pathogens in the critically endangered Iberian desman. They found 26 potential threats, some in almost half the individuals tested. Non-invasive way to study wildlife health! doi.org/10.1111/eva.70199

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Can corals survive a mass mortality event (MME)? A new study reveals corals can adapt rapidly after MME, with host genetics influencing bleaching survival & recovery, and beneficial alleles passing to the next generation 🪸 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70198

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Dispersal shapes population stability and evolutionary potential, yet linking larval traits to gene flow in marine species remains challenging. A study examined 10 coastal species with varying pelagic larval durations (PLD), using consistent sampling and genetic data (ddRAD, microsatellites) (1/2)

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

A drought nearly wiped out a protected population of unarmoured stickleback. Their numbers recovered, but their defining trait didn't: unarmoured fish went from 51% to ~15%. Conservation must protect the traits that make populations unique, not just their existence 🐟 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70189

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

Delineation of conservation units and assessments of pop. vulnerability are key to protection of intraspecific diversity. A new study shows why multiple vulnerability measures and accounting for high levels of population differentiation are key to Arctic charr conservation 🐟 @thefentagon.bsky.social

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

🚨 Don't forget our call for Associate Editors 🚨 We're seeking experts in (1) evolutionary epigenetics and (2) microbial evolution. Join our team to help us shape the journal 🧬🦠 @wileyecology.bsky.social Learn more & apply: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/17524571/homepage/open-call

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Wars impose unprecedented environmental damage that has rarely been studied in real time. Study on Ukrainian dogs shows rapid natural selection near the front lines: changes in traits, age structure, and health, driven by high mortality 🐕 doi.org/10.1111/eva.70182

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

New study uncovers the population structure and connectivity of M. edulis, M. galloprovincialis and admixed mussels in Irish waters, highlighting sea-current resistance and wave exposure as major drivers of genetic structure. Key knowledge for sustainable aquaculture 🧬🌊 📸: E. Cariolato

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Evolutionary Applications @evolappjournal.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Want to amplify your climate research and connect with a global network? 🌍⚡️ Join Wiley's FREE webinar to learn how publishing in the SDG-13 Special Collection can maximize your impact and visibility. 📅 Date: December 10th 🕒 Time: 9 AM CST/ 9 PM AMT/ 8 PM EST 🔗 Register Here: lnkd.in/e4JS2RVJ

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