Whole genome resequencing can be a powerful tool for uncovering biological insights and quantifying population genomic metrics relevant to conservation. These insights have the potential to be most profound in secretive or elusive species that are understudied but whose populations may be waning. The western chicken turtle ( Deirochelys reticularia miaria ) is one such example where conservationists are concerned about reporte...

Weed biocontrol researchers have been at the forefront of developing management solutions for invasive weeds for over 100 years and have a unique perspective to offer on the emerging field of genetic-based technologies such as gene drive and RNAi. As part of the XVI International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds in May 2023 we conducted a focus group discussion workshop to explore biocontrol practitioners’ perspectives...

Background The hereditary cerebellar ataxias are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by progressive cerebellar degeneration leading to incoordination of gait, speech, limb, and eye movements. Hundreds of genes encoding diverse proteins underlie this family of degenerative disorders that may exhibit autosomal dominant, recessive, mitochondrial, or X-linked inheritance. Variations in clini...

Primate populations worldwide are experiencing rapid declines due to habitat loss, degradation, and overexploitation. These pressures are particularly severe across sub-Saharan Africa and the Gulf of Guinea biodiversity hotspot, which supports several threatened and endemic species. The Ebo-Makombe-Ndokbou forests in southwestern Cameroon contain critical habitat for several of these species, including the Critically Endangere...

Using DNA metabarcoding, we examined diet composition, prey resources, and saxitoxin (STX) and parasite exposure in Steller sea lions (SSL) in the Gulf of Alaska in July and October 2022–2023 using 251 scat samples and 45 seawater samples. Using 12S rRNA MiFish gene metabarcoding, diet items in Prince William Sound (PWS), Cook Inlet and near Kodiak ordered by prevalence were salmon, gadids, herring, flatfishes and capelin. Usi...

Billions of specimens are housed in museum collections, but only a fraction are used in research after accession. The chemical composition of museum specimens, such as the presence of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs), is a useful component of the extended museum specimen concept. However, most of the work investigating chemistry of museum specimens has focused on herbarium specimens and not insects, of which some species may...

In August 2024, a northern fur seal mortality event was observed on St. Paul Island, AK in the southeast (SE) Bering Sea. Ten seals in good body condition were found dead along with large accumulations of dead fish on Benson Beach located on St. Paul Island. Full necropsies of the five available adult seals, one pup, and several fish did not reveal any overt causes of death. Testing of tissues for the algal neurotoxins domoic...

Pathogens play a key role in insect population dynamics, contributing to short‐term fluctuations in abundance as well as long‐term demographic trends. Two key factors that influence the effects of entomopathogens on herbivorous insect populations are modes of pathogen transmission and larval host plants. In this study, we examined tritrophic interactions between a sequestering specialist lepidopteran, Euphydryas phaeton , and...