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Evolution Letters

@evolletters.bsky.social
4K followers 46 following 160 posts

OA journal publishing the best work in evolutionary biology. Jointly owned by @eseb.bsky.social & @sse-evolution.bsky.social, published by OUP. academic.oup.com/evlett Tag us in your post about your Evolution Letters papers and we will repost!

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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Why do sex ratios become biased before adulthood? In ruffs, slower male development delays fledging and increases exposure to predators, shifting the sex ratio even before sexual maturity. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan... @chorlnev.bsky.social Image credit: T. R. Shankar Raman
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Will Ratcliff @wcratcliff.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
New paper out with @kaylastoy.bsky.social: academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Can mutualists evolve stronger cooperation when partners keep changing? Experimental evolution in yeast shows that stable partnerships accelerate mutualistic benefits, even when they don't produce specialists. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com
Temporal partner heterogeneity constrains the evolution of mutualistic benefits
Abstract. Evolutionary theory predicts that coevolutionary specialization between mutualistic lineages is beneficial, increasing the evolution of cooperati
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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Can mothers prepare offspring for an unpredictable future? In C. elegans, adaptive maternal plasticity evolved when a maternal cue reliably predicted the offspring’s environment. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan... By Henrique Teotónio and @evoecodynamics.bsky.social
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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Why are juveniles often more vulnerable to infection? A new coevolutionary model shows pathogens can drive age-specific specialization in both infection and host resistance academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com
Pathogens pull hardest in the coevolutionary arms race to determine innate age-specific transmission biases
From humans to plants, juvenile individuals often represent a highly susceptible pool of hosts for infectious diseases. Surprisingly, recent work has sugge
041
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Recombination helps evolution—but it can also cause mutations. New theory shows that even small increases in mutation near crossovers can oppose the evolution of higher recombination rates. By @sarperotto.bsky.social and Bret Payseur academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com
Elevated mutation near crossovers inhibits the evolution of recombination
Abstract. Recombination diversifies offspring genomes and helps ensure chromosome segregation during meiosis. Mutation rates are elevated near crossovers d
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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Recombination helps evolution—but it can also cause mutations. New theory shows that even small increases in mutation near crossovers can oppose the evolution of higher recombination rates. By @sarperotto.bsky.social and Bret Payseur academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com
Elevated mutation near crossovers inhibits the evolution of recombination
Abstract. Recombination diversifies offspring genomes and helps ensure chromosome segregation during meiosis. Mutation rates are elevated near crossovers d
05432
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
How do bumblebees determine sex—and why does it matter for conservation? A new study identifies the B. terrestris sex-determination region, with major implications for managing genetic diversity. doi.org/10.1093/evle... Image credit: M. Almbauer
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Big evolutionary events can fool phylogenetic analyses. A new approach combines phylogenetic regression with eigenvectors to reduce false positives and better account for the history written in genomes. doi.org/10.1093/evle...
doi.org
Characterizing and mitigating confounding by unreplicated evolutionary events in phylogenetic regression
Abstract. When researchers want to test for a direct effect of one attribute on another using interspecific data, they need to account for the confounding
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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
How do bumblebees determine sex—and why does it matter for conservation? A new study identifies the B. terrestris sex-determination region, with major implications for managing genetic diversity. doi.org/10.1093/evle... Image credit: M. Almbauer
095
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Can benefits echo across generations? In C. elegans, starvation boosts offspring fitness but carries hidden costs for great-grand offspring, revealing evolutionary trade-offs across generations. doi.org/10.1093/evle... @alexeimaklakov.bsky.social
doi.org
Evolutionary trade-offs between intergenerational and transgenerational fitness effects
Abstract. Intergenerational and transgenerational fitness effects can shape evolutionary processes. Theoretically, however, intergenerational and transgene
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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Big evolutionary events can fool phylogenetic analyses. A new approach combines phylogenetic regression with eigenvectors to reduce false positives and better account for the history written in genomes. doi.org/10.1093/evle...
doi.org
Characterizing and mitigating confounding by unreplicated evolutionary events in phylogenetic regression
Abstract. When researchers want to test for a direct effect of one attribute on another using interspecific data, they need to account for the confounding
03519
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Are city birds genetically adapting to urban life? A common garden experiment in great tits reveals hidden evolutionary changes masked by environmental effects in the wild. doi.org/10.1093/evle... Image by G. Laurent, wikimedia
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Do all traits age together? A long-term study of wild Seychelles warblers shows ageing is surprisingly asynchronous, with some traits senescing while others remain unchanged. doi.org/10.1093/evle...
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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Can benefits echo across generations? In C. elegans, starvation boosts offspring fitness but carries hidden costs for great-grand offspring, revealing evolutionary trade-offs across generations. doi.org/10.1093/evle... @alexeimaklakov.bsky.social
doi.org
Evolutionary trade-offs between intergenerational and transgenerational fitness effects
Abstract. Intergenerational and transgenerational fitness effects can shape evolutionary processes. Theoretically, however, intergenerational and transgene
0228
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Alexei Maklakov @alexeimaklakov.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Trade-offs Between Intergenerational and Transgenerational Effects: experimental data and demographic simulation model of multigenerational trade-offs in evolution: academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com
Evolutionary trade-offs between intergenerational and transgenerational fitness effects
Abstract. Intergenerational and transgenerational fitness effects can shape evolutionary processes. Theoretically, however, intergenerational and transgene
02312
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Are city birds genetically adapting to urban life? A common garden experiment in great tits reveals hidden evolutionary changes masked by environmental effects in the wild. doi.org/10.1093/evle... Image by G. Laurent, wikimedia
02411
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Do all traits age together? A long-term study of wild Seychelles warblers shows ageing is surprisingly asynchronous, with some traits senescing while others remain unchanged. doi.org/10.1093/evle...
03011
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Why do different butterfly species evolve the same shimmering blue wings? Morpho butterflies repeatedly converge on iridescence in sympatry, suggesting predators can drive the evolution of shared warning signals. doi.org/10.1093/evle... Image credit: Wikimedia
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Can species always evolve fast enough to keep up with environmental change? A resurrection experiment in morning glory shows genetic constraints can limit adaptation—even under strong selection. doi.org/10.1093/evle... @gbaucom.bsky.social @johnstinchcombe.bsky.social Image credit:Cbaile19 Wikimedia
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Why do species' ranges stop where they do? New theory shows that matching habitat choice can sharpen range boundaries and reinforce limits imposed by competition academic.oup.com/evlett/advan... By Shirani and @benjaminfreeman.bsky.social
academic.oup.com
Coevolution of species’ range borders: Interactions between interspecific competition, gene flow, and matching habitat choice
Abstract. Existing theory examining the coevolutionary dynamics of species’ range borders assumes random dispersal, which causes maladaptive gene flow from
14819
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Does early-life stress shape ageing? A field experiment in a colonial marine Bryozoan shows stressed juveniles show lower lifetime fitness—but also surprisingly weaker senescence later in life. Image by D. Janiak at Wikimedia doi.org/10.1093/evle...
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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Why do different butterfly species evolve the same shimmering blue wings? Morpho butterflies repeatedly converge on iridescence in sympatry, suggesting predators can drive the evolution of shared warning signals. doi.org/10.1093/evle... Image credit: Wikimedia
0196
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Can species always evolve fast enough to keep up with environmental change? A resurrection experiment in morning glory shows genetic constraints can limit adaptation—even under strong selection. doi.org/10.1093/evle... @gbaucom.bsky.social @johnstinchcombe.bsky.social Image credit:Cbaile19 Wikimedia
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Gina Baucom @gbaucom.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
New study from my lab! Led by prior student Sasha Bishop, along w/ co-author @johnstinchcombe.bsky.social 🌸 We performed a resurrection study on morning glory and found that within 9 years, adaptive potential declined by 96%
academic.oup.com
A resurrection experiment reveals reduced adaptive potential in a common agricultural weed
Adaptive evolution is essential for populations facing rapid anthropogenic change, yet realized evolutionary responses often fall short of expectations. Us
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Comparing reproductive isolation across species has been harder than it should be. The new Reproductive Isolation Ontology (RIO) provides a common framework to standardize RI estimates across the tree of life. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com
A standardised framework for classifying estimates of reproductive isolation
Abstract. Understanding reproductive isolation (RI) between lineages is a central goal of speciation research. While the strength of RI has been estimated
13316
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
How does group size shape social evolution? New theory shows that living in smaller versus larger groups changes kinship dynamics, shifting when natural selection favors helping—or harming—others. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com
Group size modulates kinship dynamics and selection on social traits
Abstract. An individual’s relatedness to its group may change with age due to demographic processes, and such kinship dynamics can shape age-linked social
01810
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Why do habits evolve? New theory suggests forming and breaking habits can free cognitive resources for other tasks—like staying alert to predators—making behavior more flexible, not less academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
doi.org
Evolution of behavioral flexibility and the forming and breaking of habits
The forming and breaking of habits has long been a focus of study in psychology, as well as appearing in many discussions about human behavior. Surprisingl
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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Does early-life stress shape ageing? A field experiment in a colonial marine Bryozoan shows stressed juveniles show lower lifetime fitness—but also surprisingly weaker senescence later in life. Image by D. Janiak at Wikimedia doi.org/10.1093/evle...
0104
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Comparing reproductive isolation across species has been harder than it should be. The new Reproductive Isolation Ontology (RIO) provides a common framework to standardize RI estimates across the tree of life. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com
A standardised framework for classifying estimates of reproductive isolation
Abstract. Understanding reproductive isolation (RI) between lineages is a central goal of speciation research. While the strength of RI has been estimated
13316
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
How does group size shape social evolution? New theory shows that living in smaller versus larger groups changes kinship dynamics, shifting when natural selection favors helping—or harming—others. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
academic.oup.com
Group size modulates kinship dynamics and selection on social traits
Abstract. An individual’s relatedness to its group may change with age due to demographic processes, and such kinship dynamics can shape age-linked social
01810
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Why do habits evolve? New theory suggests forming and breaking habits can free cognitive resources for other tasks—like staying alert to predators—making behavior more flexible, not less academic.oup.com/evlett/advan...
doi.org
Evolution of behavioral flexibility and the forming and breaking of habits
The forming and breaking of habits has long been a focus of study in psychology, as well as appearing in many discussions about human behavior. Surprisingl
0156
Reposted by Evolution Letters
jacelyn @jacejostles.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
if you're coming to #Evol2026 in cleveland next week, bring your knitting or portable crafting and join our crafting circle! mon june 22, 1-2:30, room 26C! all welcome, eat your lunch then join us for crafting 🧶🖌️🎨
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Benjamin Freeman @benjaminfreeman.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Well done Farshad on this project! I thought that if individuals can choose habitats based on their traits that it would prevent competition from forming range limits but I was wrong - it actually makes competitively-formed range limits SHARPER and Farshad can cogently explain why
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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Why do species' ranges stop where they do? New theory shows that matching habitat choice can sharpen range boundaries and reinforce limits imposed by competition academic.oup.com/evlett/advan... By Shirani and @benjaminfreeman.bsky.social
academic.oup.com
Coevolution of species’ range borders: Interactions between interspecific competition, gene flow, and matching habitat choice
Abstract. Existing theory examining the coevolutionary dynamics of species’ range borders assumes random dispersal, which causes maladaptive gene flow from
14819
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Did you know that Evolution Letters now publishes reviews?! Our inaugural one is fantastic! Deep learning is opening new doors for evolutionary genomics, especially for nonmodel organisms with sparse or uncertain genomic data. doi.org/10.1093/evle...
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
How predictable is evolution? Replicated C. elegans experiments show environmental differences and population bottlenecks jointly shape the repeatability of adaptation doi.org/10.1093/evle... Image credit: Wikimedia
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Why do sex chromosomes stop recombining? New models show even weak sexual antagonism can strongly drive recombination suppression, with mating systems shaping the outcome. By @ewanflintham.bsky.social and @charlesmullon.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/evle...
doi.org
Sexual antagonism, mating systems, and recombination suppression on sex chromosomes
Abstract. The suppression of recombination between sex chromosomes is a widespread feature of genetic sex determination systems. Competing explanations for
14117
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Check out our new issue - including the Editor's Choice article by @jeromeburkiewicz.bsky.social et al! They show that despite phenotypic plasticity, flower morphology of the spotted jewelweed has evolved in urban habitats to better suit bumblebees, their main pollinators doi.org/10.1093/evle...
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Lynda Delph @ldelph.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Okay, I have now read through this (and will need to go through it again...and again), and it is amazingly comprehensive and insightful. Terrific stuff.
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
How do migratory birds navigate massive barriers like the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau? Asian stonechats reveal migratory divides, hybridization, and evolving routes across extreme landscapes. doi.org/10.1093/evle... Image credit Wikimedia.
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Rear-edge populations may not be evolutionary dead ends after all. Campanula americana shows strong local adaptation to warming climates despite reduced genetic diversity. doi.org/10.1093/evle... @perrierecoevo.bsky.social Image credit Wikimedia
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
How do generalist parasites stay adaptable across many hosts? Root-knot nematodes show balancing selection maintaining host-specific variation in key pathogenicity genes. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan... Image Wikimedia
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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Why do sex chromosomes stop recombining? New models show even weak sexual antagonism can strongly drive recombination suppression, with mating systems shaping the outcome. By @ewanflintham.bsky.social and @charlesmullon.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/evle...
doi.org
Sexual antagonism, mating systems, and recombination suppression on sex chromosomes
Abstract. The suppression of recombination between sex chromosomes is a widespread feature of genetic sex determination systems. Competing explanations for
14117
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
How predictable is evolution? Replicated C. elegans experiments show environmental differences and population bottlenecks jointly shape the repeatability of adaptation doi.org/10.1093/evle... Image credit: Wikimedia
03713
Reposted by Evolution Letters
Charles Mullon @charlesmullon.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
New paper with the brilliant @ewanflintham.bsky.social How fast does recombination suppression evolve among sex chromosomes? We show that even weak sexual antagonism (so hard to detect) makes this fast, often via inversions fixing on X/Z depending on mating system: doi.org/10.1093/evle...
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Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
How do migratory birds navigate massive barriers like the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau? Asian stonechats reveal migratory divides, hybridization, and evolving routes across extreme landscapes. doi.org/10.1093/evle... Image credit Wikimedia.
0177
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Rear-edge populations may not be evolutionary dead ends after all. Campanula americana shows strong local adaptation to warming climates despite reduced genetic diversity. doi.org/10.1093/evle... @perrierecoevo.bsky.social Image credit Wikimedia
01710
Evolution Letters @evolletters.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
How do generalist parasites stay adaptable across many hosts? Root-knot nematodes show balancing selection maintaining host-specific variation in key pathogenicity genes. academic.oup.com/evlett/advan... Image Wikimedia
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Reposted by Evolution Letters
Antoine Perrier @perrierecoevo.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
New paper out in Evolution Letters! @evolletters.bsky.social We explore the legacy of past warming at the rear edge of Campanula americana. Spoiler alert: we did not find higher drift load as often expected at the rear edge, but strong local adaptation! doi.org/10.1093/evle...
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