Reviews & Analysis

This Review identifies and describes interactions and feedbacks between biodiversity and diversity of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, and uses case studies from South America to illustrate the conservation and human benefits that can arise from protecting both biological and cultural diversity.

Invasive species may have impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning beyond the ecosystem they directly invade, by altering flows of biotic or abiotic materials. In this Review, the authors synthesize current evidence showing how invasive species have cross-ecosystem effects in three ways: by introducing novel spatial flows between ecosystems, or altering the quality or magnitude of spatial flows.

This Review discusses how sexual selection and sexual conflict shape genomes and transcriptomes and proposes an integrative approach combining behavioural ecology with developmental and genomic biology to answer open questions.

This Review discusses challenges with detection and characterization of de novo genes and their mechanism of origin, and includes a curated list of de novo genes reported for humans.

This Review collates the current understanding of the innate immune systems in classic model and non-model organisms, highlighting ancestral complexity and lineage-specific adaptations and identifying targets for future comparative studies.

Ecological syntheses are often assumed to identify generalities in effects, but this concept is rarely defined. Here, the authors review current practice in ecological synthesis and propose pathways to achieving generality.

Social cues are known to be involved in the timing of animal migrations. In this Review, the authors outline a framework for understanding the roles of different cues across temporal scales, and how these match with ecosystem dynamics.

Many viruses evolve quickly, leading to the coexistence of multiple strains within the same host and population. In this Review, the authors synthesize ecological and evolutionary approaches to studying the dynamics of multi-strain RNA virus infections and suggest opportunities for future work.

Transmissible cancers are governed by the same evolutionary processes as asexually reproducing, unicellular organisms. This Review discusses population genetics processes that determine the evolution of clonally transmissible cancers.

As extremely large microbial community datasets have proliferated, numerous approaches to studying their ecological properties have emerged. In this Review, the authors offer a guide to five ecological modelling techniques used to study complex microbial communities.

For decades, the origin of mitochondria during eukaryogenesis has been viewed as a response to Earth’s oxygenation, but this has been challenged by more recent research. Here, the authors review recent literature, concluding that eukaryogenesis and the rise of oxygen were decoupled, and obligate aerosis in eukaryotes has only become widespread in the past 1 billion years

Correlational selection is selection on the basis of combinations of traits. This Review demonstrates how considering correlational selection through a genomics lens will enhance integration of evolutionary research in different fields.

This Review highlights how information from archaeology, history, palaeoecology and other past sources can, and should, be used to inform plans to enhance the sustainability and resilience of our societies.

Ecological management strategies — from conservation to fisheries — require ecosystem-level thinking. This Review describes the main types of ecosystem model, how to select an appropriate model for a given application, and how to manage complexity and uncertainty.

There has been intense debate as to whether biodiversity increases or reduces the risk of infectious disease. This Review is the result of researchers from both sides of the debate attempting to reach a consensus.

Sex-determining systems are incredibly diverse. Here, the author reviews sex determination in non-model vertebrates and invertebrates, and discusses theoretical models that explain diversity in sex determination.

The authors of this Review discuss cooperative systems across all biological levels, including genomes, multicellular organisms and societies, and develop mathematical models to argue that enforcement is central to the evolution of cooperation.

A review of the consequences of phenological mismatches from a population and evolutionary perspective, including a conceptual framework and priority questions for future research.

The evolution of the human facial skeleton is evaluated in the context of its extinct hominin relatives, and the biomechanical, physiological and social influences on its development are considered.

The World Database on Protected Areas has evolved since 1959 to become an essential resource for monitoring global progress in terrestrial and marine habitat protection. This Review illustrates the users and uses of the WDPA, its history of quality improvements and challenges for future development.