Abiotic environmental changes and human activity in the Anthropocene, primarily climate, disturbance, and pollution, have a major impact on the behavior and physiology of wildlife. Anthropogenic activities are expanding at unpreceded rates to such an extent that almost all wildlife is affected by changing climate and human disturbance, in the form of drought and heat, and other disturbances. In addition, city lights have changed the night skies dramatically, affecting wildlife in large areas around urban areas. Mammals and birds are known to be particularly sensitive to environmental changes. It is, therefore, crucial to elucidate the mechanisms of behavioral, physiological, and ecological responses of animals to assess adaptations to environmentally induced stress.
This Research Topic will focus on mammals and birds and aims to provide an overview of the mechanistic and ecological understanding of processes driving wildlife responses to anthropogenic climate changes, human disturbance, and pollution. In this topic, we hope to raise the awareness of zoologists, ecologists, and evolutionary biologists across regions and disciplines, and to promote a better understanding and interdisciplinary communication of related fields.
We welcome Original Research on the following topics of interest (the list is not exhaustive):
1) Mechanisms of mammals and birds' adaptation to drought, heat, and (or) cold stress;
2) Mechanisms of mammals and birds' adaptation to disturbance;
3) Mechanisms of mammals and birds' adaptation to light, and
4) Review/mini-review or methodological articles in this research field.
Abiotic environmental changes and human activity in the Anthropocene, primarily climate, disturbance, and pollution, have a major impact on the behavior and physiology of wildlife. Anthropogenic activities are expanding at unpreceded rates to such an extent that almost all wildlife is affected by changing climate and human disturbance, in the form of drought and heat, and other disturbances. In addition, city lights have changed the night skies dramatically, affecting wildlife in large areas around urban areas. Mammals and birds are known to be particularly sensitive to environmental changes. It is, therefore, crucial to elucidate the mechanisms of behavioral, physiological, and ecological responses of animals to assess adaptations to environmentally induced stress.
This Research Topic will focus on mammals and birds and aims to provide an overview of the mechanistic and ecological understanding of processes driving wildlife responses to anthropogenic climate changes, human disturbance, and pollution. In this topic, we hope to raise the awareness of zoologists, ecologists, and evolutionary biologists across regions and disciplines, and to promote a better understanding and interdisciplinary communication of related fields.
We welcome Original Research on the following topics of interest (the list is not exhaustive):
1) Mechanisms of mammals and birds' adaptation to drought, heat, and (or) cold stress;
2) Mechanisms of mammals and birds' adaptation to disturbance;
3) Mechanisms of mammals and birds' adaptation to light, and
4) Review/mini-review or methodological articles in this research field.