Many species have become threatened during the Anthropocene, requiring conservation strategies based on biological evidence. Wood‐inhabiting fungi face multiple threats due to a complex interplay of a short lifespan, removal of dead wood as a resource and climate change. Furthermore, rare fruiting events might restrict dispersal via spores, leading to a significant population genetic structure. Yet, little is known about the g...

Global freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically, and meeting the challenges of this crisis requires bold goals and the mobilisation of substantial resources. While the reasons are varied, investments in both research and conservation of freshwater biodiversity lag far behind those in the terrestrial and marine realms. Inspired by a global consultation, we identify 15 pressing priority needs, grouped into five research...

Understanding how parasites are transmitted to new species is of great importance for human health, agriculture and conservation. However, it is still unclear why some parasites are shared by many species, while others have only one host. Using a new measure of ‘phylogenetic host specificity’, we find that most primate parasites with more than one host are phylogenetic generalists, infecting less closely related primates than...