The Journal of animal ecology

01 18 October 2026

DOI 10.1111/1365-2656.70358

Critical constraints to ecological buffering in a rapidly changing Arctic: A long‐term seabird study

Open DOI

David Grémillet, Françoise Amélineau, Ann M. A. Harding et al.

Long‐term ecological studies testing global change impacts are rare yet essential in the Arctic, a region warming nearly four times faster than the global average. These rapid environmental changes reshape ecosystem functioning across th...

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02 14 October 2026

DOI 10.1111/1365-2656.70372

Hydrodynamic gradients affect facilitation in soft sediment communities

Open DOI

Rebecca V. Gladstone‐Gallagher, Judi E. Hewitt, Caleb J. Crosbie et al.

Positive species interactions, or facilitation, are fundamental drivers of ecological community assembly and stability. In terrestrial plant‐dominated systems, the effects of facilitation on biodiversity have been shown to intensify alon...

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03 14 October 2026

DOI 10.1111/1365-2656.70370

Burned habitats facilitate predation and lead to long‐term reductions in prey success

Open DOI

Kirby L. Mills, Martin Leclerc, Mark A. Ditmer et al.

Intensifying wildfire regimes under global change are expected to shift species interactions through changes in habitat structure and composition, vegetation productivity, and sensory cues. Yet there is little evidence of how burn‐induce...

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04 13 October 2026

DOI 10.1111/1365-2656.70356

Milder winters alleviate seasonal challenges for a migratory goose facing Arctic warming

Open DOI

Jan Geisler, Eldar Rakhimberdiev, Michiel P. Boom et al.

Many migratory birds now reach their Arctic breeding grounds earlier in response to advancing springs and shifting nutrient peaks, either by departing earlier from non‐breeding grounds or by travelling faster. For dark‐bellied brent gees...

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05 12 October 2026

DOI 10.1111/1365-2656.70368

Host‐mediated filtering and interspecific associations structure strongyle parasite communities in Sable Island horses

Open DOI

Sangwook Ahn, Philip D. McLoughlin, Jocelyn Poissant

Mixed‐species parasite infections are common in wildlife, yet the ecological processes that structure these communities remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that host‐mediated and extrinsic environmental filtering, alongside biotic ...

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06 10 October 2026

DOI 10.1111/1365-2656.70363

Why don't all birds lay early? Causes and consequences of breeding timing for a long‐lived migratory seabird

Open DOI

Katrina Siddiqi‐Davies, Natasha Gillies, Hector Bailey et al.

The relationship between earlier laying and higher breeding success is well‐established in avian species. However, a wide distribution of breeding timings is often maintained within a population, and the causes and consequences of this v...

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07 8 October 2026

DOI 10.1111/1365-2656.70346

No effect of short‐term exposure to ocean acidification on individual‐level variation in behaviour and susceptibility to predation in a Great Barrier Reef damselfish

Open DOI

Dominique G. Roche, Josefin Sundin, Ben Speers‐Roesch et al.

Ocean acidification, caused by rising carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in the atmosphere, has been reported to negatively impact a wide variety of behaviours in fishes, including activity, exploration, and predator avoidance. These effects have be...

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08 6 October 2026

DOI 10.1111/1365-2656.70365

Cover Picture and Issue Information

Open DOI

09 4 October 2026

DOI 10.1111/1365-2656.70351

Contextually conspicuous species are more likely to be venomous: Habitat‐dependent aposematic colouration found throughout snakes

Open DOI

Amy Duclaux, Michel Dugon, Kevin Healy

Many animals use conspicuous colours to advertise their unprofitability to potential predators, a phenomenon known as aposematism. For example, conspicuous banded patterns in snakes are often highlighted as aposematic signalling of their...

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10 30 September 2026

DOI 10.1111/1365-2656.70364

Playing with fire: Wolf response to active wildfires, fire fronts and smoke

Open DOI

Skylar Boucher, Katherine Wolfenden, Michael Bridger et al.

Wildfires are a key natural disturbance in fire‐prone ecosystems, but their impacts on wildlife are increasingly significant as fire regimes intensify globally. Although considerable research has examined animal responses to post‐wildfir...

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