Chronic stress (CS) and hyper-caloric diets promote affective disorders, however pathobiological interactions await definition. Neurobiological and behavioral influences of chronic stress (CS; 2 h/day restraint for 2 wks) were studied in male C57Bl/6 mice fed a control diet (CD; 12% kcal as fat/65% carbohydrate/23% protein) or Western diet (WD; 32% kcal fat/57% carbohydrate/11% protein) for 20 wks. CS induced weight loss and a...

Species assemblages often have a non‐random nested organization, which in vertebrate scavenger (carrion‐consuming) assemblages is thought to be driven by facilitation in competitive environments. However, not all scavenger species play the same role in maintaining assemblage structure, as some species are obligate scavengers (i.e., vultures) and others are facultative, scavenging opportunistically. We used a database with 177...

Understanding the distribution of biodiversity across the Earth is one of the most challenging questions in biology. Much research has been directed at explaining the species latitudinal pattern showing that communities are richer in tropical areas; however, despite decades of research, a general consensus has not yet emerged. In addition, global biodiversity patterns are being rapidly altered by human activities. Here, we aim...

Aside from Kruger National Park, no other suitable reserves of sufficient size exist in South Africa that will hold a viable population of wild dogs ( Lycaon pictus ). Consequently, conservation efforts have been focused on creating a metapopulation through a series of wild dog reintroductions into isolated fenced reserves. Additional potential exists for conserving wild dogs on private ranch land. Establishing the metapopulat...