Plural breeding, the simultaneous reproduction of more than one female within a social group, is rarely observed in highly social mammals such as the naked mole-rat ( Heterocephalus glaber ), where reproduction is typically monopolized by a single dominant queen. This study documents and analyses four rare cases consistent with plural breeding, two in captivity and two in wild colonies, to investigate their social and reproduc...

Genomic data from historical specimens can provide insights into populations and processes no longer evident from modern samples. Identifying viable sources of historical DNA is key to this. Here we aimed to explore the viability of trophy hunting paws as sources of historical DNA, and to use this data for preliminary analyses to evaluate changes in population structuring over time. We aimed to search for the presence of genom...

The relative contribution of top‐down and bottom‐up processes regulating primary decomposers can influence the strength of the link between the soil animal community and ecosystem functioning. Although soil bacterial communities are regulated by bottom‐up and top‐down processes, the latter are considered to be less important in structuring the diversity and functioning of fungal‐dominated ecosystems. Despite the huge diversity...