Interspecific interactions are often difficult to elucidate, particularly with large vertebrates at large spatial scales. Here, we describe a methodology for estimating interspecific interactions by combining stable isotopes with bioenergetics. We illustrate this approach by modeling the population dynamics and species interactions of a suite of vertebrates on Santa Cruz Island, California, USA...

Competition has always been a cornerstone of evolutionary biology, and aggression is the predominant form of direct competition in animals, but the evolutionary effects of aggression between species are curiously understudied. Only in the past few years, existing theoretical frameworks have been extended to include interspecific aggression, and significant empirical advances have been made. Aft...

Metabolic rate of living organisms (energy produced per unit time) increases slower than organisms' mass. This phenomenon, when applied to different taxa, is called interspecific allometric scaling. Its causes remain unknown. Here we show that interspecific allometric scaling for multicellular organisms occurred as the result of evolution of organisms within the food chain, and certain mechanic...

Analysis of cassava cultivars and interspecific hybrids leaves revealed a protein percentage ranges from 21% to 32%. Polyploid types did not show significant increase. Varieties with low HCN content can be selected to enrich flour of cassava and other grain crops. Interspecific hybrids with very vigorous vegetative growth are good sources of protein. They can be used for raising...

Two natural enemy species are frequently released simultaneously to control one pest species in augmentative biological control in greenhouses. Intraguild predation (IGP) and interspecific competition between natural enemies might affect the biological control. IGP occurs between two parasitoids, between one parasitoid and one predator, and between two predators. Although unidirectional IGP has...

The convergence of distinct lineages upon interspecific hybridisation, including when accompanied by increases in ploidy (allopolyploidy), is a driving force in the origin of many plant species. In plant breeding too, both interspecific hybridisation and allopolyploidy are important because they facilitate introgression of alien DNA into breeding lines enabling the introduction of novel charact...

The Hawaiian cricket genus Laupala (Gryllidae: Trigonidiinae) has undergone rapid and extensive speciation, with divergence in male song and female acoustic preference playing a role in maintaining species boundaries. Recent study of interspecific differences in the diel rhythmicity of singing and mating, suggests that temporal variation in behavior may reduce gene flow between species. In addi...

A multivariate statistical analysis was performed on morphological characters of sixty-one populations of Avena eriantha Dur. A. clauda Dur., A. barbata Pott ex Link., A. wiestii Steud., A. fatua L., A. sterilis ssp. ludoviciana L. and A. sativa L. Factor analysis revealed that intraspecific morphological variations are due to quantitative characters. Interspecific as well as intersectional rel...

Interspecific hybridization is a common and important process that generates phenotypic novelty and can lead to hybrid speciation as well as to changes in gene expression. Using two different interspecific cotton (Gossypium) diploid hybrids, we show organ-specific, bidirectional allelic silencing at a heterozygous Adh locus, with alternate alleles being silenced in leaves and many floral organs...