Ungulates possess unique life-history traits compared with other mammals, classically including long lives, large body size, delayed age at first reproduction, iteroparity, small litter size, and high maternal investment, all of which promote strong density-dependent characteristics. Those distinctive patterns, and how they relate to the diverse environments inhabited by these mammals, have led to research that has been at the forefront of exciting discoveries in ecology and evolution. The objective of this integrated Research Topic is to provide a timely review and expansion of those advances in ecology and evolution, especially concerning movement ecology, the role of individual heterogeneity in population biology, predator-prey dynamics, and evolutionary trade-offs among biological functions.
We seek papers related to the ecology and evolution of wild, free-ranging ungulates. Papers that span and integrate multiple sub-disciplines are encouraged. Submissions should have expansive evolutionary underpinnings and be of interest to biologists studying other vertebrate systems. Research papers, or timely reviews of important topics are acceptable; we do not want notes, or technique papers, but manuscripts that use innovative approaches to answer questions pertaining to the ecology, evolution, and conservation of ungulates.
Articles should be broadly related to five formative sub-disciplines in ungulate ecology:
· Behavioral Ecology
· Population Ecology
· Nutritional Ecology
· Community Ecology
· Conservation and Management
Ungulates possess unique life-history traits compared with other mammals, classically including long lives, large body size, delayed age at first reproduction, iteroparity, small litter size, and high maternal investment, all of which promote strong density-dependent characteristics. Those distinctive patterns, and how they relate to the diverse environments inhabited by these mammals, have led to research that has been at the forefront of exciting discoveries in ecology and evolution. The objective of this integrated Research Topic is to provide a timely review and expansion of those advances in ecology and evolution, especially concerning movement ecology, the role of individual heterogeneity in population biology, predator-prey dynamics, and evolutionary trade-offs among biological functions.
We seek papers related to the ecology and evolution of wild, free-ranging ungulates. Papers that span and integrate multiple sub-disciplines are encouraged. Submissions should have expansive evolutionary underpinnings and be of interest to biologists studying other vertebrate systems. Research papers, or timely reviews of important topics are acceptable; we do not want notes, or technique papers, but manuscripts that use innovative approaches to answer questions pertaining to the ecology, evolution, and conservation of ungulates.
Articles should be broadly related to five formative sub-disciplines in ungulate ecology:
· Behavioral Ecology
· Population Ecology
· Nutritional Ecology
· Community Ecology
· Conservation and Management