Various biological attributes associated with individual fitness in animals change predictably
over the lifespan of an organism. Therefore, the study of animal ecology and the work of …

The field of molecular biology is advancing fast with new powerful technologies, sequencing
methods and analysis software being developed constantly. Commonly used tools originally …

There is increasing interest in understanding the potential for epigenetic factors to contribute
to phenotypic diversity in evolutionary biology. One well studied epigenetic mechanism is …

Background DNA methylation is likely a key mechanism regulating changes in gene
transcription in traits that show temporal fluctuations in response to environmental …

Epigenetic mechanisms can alter gene expression without a change in the nucleotide
sequence and are increasingly recognized as important mechanisms that can generate …

Timing is a crucial aspect for survival and reproduction in seasonal environments leading to
carefully scheduled annual programs of migration in many species. But what are the exact …

Species with a circannual life cycle need to match the timing of their life history events to the
environment to maximize fitness. However, our understanding of how circannual traits such …

Animal personality, consistent individual differences in behaviour, is an important concept
for understanding how individuals vary in how they cope with environmental challenges. In …

Background Seasonal timing of breeding is a life history trait with major fitness
consequences but the genetic basis of the physiological mechanism underlying it, and how …

Avian models have the potential to elucidate basic cellular and molecular mechanisms
underlying the slow aging rates and exceptional longevity typical of this group of vertebrates …