Recent patterns of global change have highlighted the importance of understanding the
dynamics and mechanisms of species range shifts and expansions. Unique demographic …

Emerging evidence that cities drive micro-evolution raises the question of whether rapid
urbanization of Earth might impact ecosystems by causing systemic changes in functional …

Altitudinal bird migration involves annual seasonal movements up and down elevational
gradients. Despite the fact that species from montane avifaunas worldwide engage in …

Few invasive birds are as globally successful as the Common or European Starling (Sturnus
vulgaris). Native to the Palearctic, the starling has been intentionally introduced to North and …

In this chapter we review the current knowledge on terrestrial vertebrate invasions in South
Africa. Thirty species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians are considered to have …

Populations of invasive species that colonize and spread in novel environments may
differentiate both through demographic processes and local selection. European starlings …

Biological invasions can induce rapid evolutionary change. As cane toads (Rhinella marina)
have spread across tropical Australia over an 80-year period, their rate of invasion has …

Invasive species often exhibit rapid evolutionary changes, and can provide powerful insights
into the selective forces shaping phenotypic traits that influence dispersal rates and/or …

Measuring the dispersal ability of birds is particularly challenging and thus researchers have
relied on the extended use of morphological proxies as surrogates for such ability. However …

European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) represent one of the most widespread and
problematic avian invasive species in the world. Understanding their unique population …