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Coverage of Journal of Animal Ecology articles in the media

Young Investigator's Prize 
The winner of the Elton Prize for papers published in Journal of Animal Ecology for 2011 is Philip Matich from Florida International University for his paper Contrasting patterns of individual specialization and trophic coupling in two marine apex predators co-authored with Michael R. Heithaus and Craig A. Layman. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2010.01753.x. Published in Volume 80, Issue 1, pages 294–305, January 2011. Read more details about why the Editors chose to award Philip the Elton Prize.
 

Male reproductive success increases with alliance size in Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus)
Authors: Joanna Wiszniewski, Shannon Corrigan, Luciano B. Beheregaray, Luciana M. Möller
In EarlyView: Published online: 7 OCT 2011, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2011.01910.x
The findings contribute to the evolutionary framework explaining fitness benefits of cooperative behaviour among non-kin. The authors found that male bottlenose dolphins in larger alliances had greater reproductive success than males in smaller alliances or unallied males. Dolphin family Image courtesy Jo Wiszniewski

Reproductive synchrony in a recovering bottlenecked sea turtle population
Authors: Virginie Plot, Benoît de Thoisy, Stéphane Blanc, Laurent Kelle, Anne Lavergne, Hélène Roger-Bérubet, Yann Tremblay, Sabrina Fossette, Jean-Yves Georges
In EarlyView: Published online: 18 OCT 2011, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2011.01915.x
Assessing the potential for recovery in endangered species is challenging, because complementary approaches are required to detect reliable signals of positive trends.  The authors combined genetics, demography and behavioural data at three different timescales in order to assess historical and recent population changes and evidence of reproductive synchrony in a small yet recovering population of olive ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea.

Nesting songbirds assess spatial heterogeneity of predatory chipmunks by eavesdropping on their vocalizations.
Authors: Quinn Emmering and Kenneth Schmidt
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2011.01869.x, Vol 80 Issue 6 pp 1305-1312
In the study of predator/prey dynamics, knowing where the predators are can be used to adjust breeding decisions resulting in higher reproductive success rates. Emmering and Schmidt have produced this neat paper on how veeries (Catharus fuscescens, pictured) and ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) make nesting decisions.

Demographic consequences of increased winter births in a large aseasonally breeding mammal (Bos taurus) in response to climate change
Authors: Sarah Burthe, Adam Butler, Kate R. Searle, Stephen J. G. Hall, Stephen J. Thackeray, and Sarah Wanless
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2011.01865.x, Vol 80 Issue 6 pp 1134-1144
Examining data for the past 60 years, the authors found the biggest change was the increasing number and proportion of Chillingham calves born during the winter. And when they compared winter births with UK Met Office weather data, they found warmer springs nine months earlier were responsible.

Scales of orientation, directed walks and movement path structure in sharks
Authors: Yannis P. Papastamatiou, Daniel P. Cartamil, Christopher G. Lowe, Carl G. Meyer, Brad M. Wetherbee, Kim N. Holland
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2011.01815.x, Vol 80 Issue 4 pp 864-874
How do sharks know where to go? The authors re-analysed tracking data from three shark species to determine whether they were using directed walks, and if so, over which spatial scales.

Pterin-based ornamental coloration predicts yolk antioxidant levels in female striped plateau lizards (Sceloporus virgatus)
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2010.01801.x, Vol 80 Issue 3 pp 519-527 
Authors: Stacey L. Weiss, Eileen A. Kennedy, Rebecca J. Safran, Kevin J. McGraw
The authors' research is the first example of a positive relationship between female ornamentation and yolk antioxidants in reptiles

Estuarine crocodiles ride surface currents to facilitate long-distance travel ,
Authors: Hamish A. Campbell, Matthew E. Watts, Scott Sullivan, Mark A. Read, Severine Choukroun, Steve R. Irwin, Craig E. Franklin
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2010.01709.x, Vol 79 Issue 5 pp 955-964
Crocs Surf!!
This study demonstrates that C. porosus dramatically increase their travel potential by riding surface currents, providing an effective dispersal strategy for this species.

Reproductive conflict delays the recovery of an endangered social species
Andrés López-Sepulcre et al.
Editor's Choice in Science, October 10, 2008 issue (322:5899): The Me Generation

Climate effects on offspring sex ratio in a viviparous lizard
Erik Wapstra et al.
Coverage in National Geographic, October 2 issue: Fewer Male Reptiles Due to Warming - And That's Good?

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