Biological Reviews最新文献

{"title":"Advances in causal discovery methods for ecological time series","authors":"Kenta Suzuki,&nbsp;Masato Yamamichi,&nbsp;Yutaka Osada,&nbsp;Masayuki Ushio,&nbsp;Kohei Nakajima,&nbsp;Hiroshi Masuya,&nbsp;Shohei Shimizu","doi":"10.1002/brv.70180","DOIUrl":"10.1002/brv.70180","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Recent advances in data collection technologies (e.g. automated sensor networks, satellite remote sensing, and high-throughput sequencing) have greatly expanded the availability of ecological time series, enabling new opportunities for causal analyses in dynamic ecosystems. Granger causality (GC) and convergent cross mapping (CCM), two prominent dynamical causal discovery methods, have gained attention in ecological studies for uncovering causal relationships in nonlinear systems. GC traces its roots to economics and was later extended through the information-theoretic framework of transfer entropy (TE). On the other hand, CCM was developed from studies of chaotic time series. Both methods have provided critical insights into the dynamics of complex systems. In this review, we synthesize foundational concepts and recent developments in GC and CCM, exploring their respective strengths and limitations, while clarifying their interrelationship. We also review recent advances in temporal causal discovery methods, originally developed within the framework of statistical causal inference for non-temporal data, and highlight their applicability to ecological data sets. Despite these advances, such approaches remain largely unfamiliar to ecologists. We argue that a rigorous framework of time-series-based causal inference, together with an appreciation of their diverse methodological developments to date, will not only raise awareness of unresolved challenges but also create new research opportunities in ecology. By offering an integrated perspective, we encourage the application and development of cutting-edge methods in ecology to help foster a deeper understanding of ecosystem dynamics.</p>","PeriodicalId":133,"journal":{"name":"Biological Reviews","volume":"101 5","pages":"2313-2336"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/brv.70180","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147947088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trade-offs in avian parental care: a review of theory and meta-analysis of brood size manipulations","authors":"Rebekah A. McKinnon,&nbsp;Malgorzata Lagisz,&nbsp;Sheeraja Sridharan,&nbsp;David F. Westneat,&nbsp;Kimberley J. Mathot","doi":"10.1002/brv.70181","DOIUrl":"10.1002/brv.70181","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;The selective forces shaping parental care have been studied for over 50 years. While theoretical and experimental work has yielded qualitative progress, the large body of empirical work testing predictions about parental investment based on life-history trade-offs has yet to be synthesized. We first provide an overview of the core life-history theory exploring how selection might shape parental care. We then conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on studies that experimentally manipulated brood size in birds, a widely used experimental approach to manipulate parental investment. We extracted 313 estimates from 62 studies representing 31 species of birds from 19 different families and tested key predictions on trade-offs in parental care derived from theory. Our analysis provides strong support for some predictions about life-history trade-offs in parental care, but weak or equivocal support for others. Specifically, we found that overall, avian parents respond to brood size manipulations as predicted by life-history theory: they increased care in response to brood enlargement, and decreased care in response to brood reductions. Furthermore, for the same relative manipulation size, responses to brood reductions were greater than responses to brood enlargements. This finding is consistent with predictions derived from life-history theory based on some types of non-linear utility curves. However, many predictions derived from theory are not well supported by our comparative analysis. Species' life-history traits such as clutch size (a measure of current reproduction), adult survival, and broods per year (two measures of future reproduction), explained little, if any, among-species variation in response to brood size manipulations. Several factors may explain this. We highlight that brood size manipulations may affect more than just perception of the value of current reproduction, such as altering parents' perception of predation risk. Importantly, these unintended consequences could lead to asymmetric responses like those we observed. Other common experimental approaches – such as hormone manipulations, altering a partner's effort, and food supplementation – often affect multiple traits or fitness components simultaneously, or may involve cues that poorly match the evolved mechanisms guiding parental behaviour. Our review of both theory and experimental approaches suggests that there are multiple opportunities for more precise experiments. We offer several recommendations for effective designs. One is improved understanding of the biology underlying the functions relating to costs and benefits, with careful consideration of not only how the manipulation will affect only one of those, but also the mechanisms that might alter how parents perceive the manipulation. We also emphasize general principles, such as assessing alternative hypotheses and devising multiple independent tests. Armed with these recommendations, we believe there are new ","PeriodicalId":133,"journal":{"name":"Biological Reviews","volume":"101 5","pages":"2337-2358"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/brv.70181","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147872882","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microclimate-based oviposition site selection in butterflies and moths","authors":"Simon Braem,&nbsp;Thomas Fartmann,&nbsp;Hans Van Dyck","doi":"10.1002/brv.70182","DOIUrl":"10.1002/brv.70182","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;The sites herbivorous insects select to deposit eggs determine to a variable degree the environment their larvae will experience during development. Therefore, oviposition site selection should be seen as a significant life-history trait affecting the survival of the offspring. While searching for suitable sites, egg-laying terrestrial insects are predicted to respond to environmental factors that function as indicators for larval development and survival. In herbivorous insects, such as butterflies and moths, microclimate may be of significance for the selection of a suitable host plant or specific host plant parts. Although the preference–performance hypothesis attracted much interest in insects to address host plant species generalism &lt;i&gt;versus&lt;/i&gt; specialism, a synthetic review on the diversity and functional relevance of microclimate-based oviposition site selection (MBOSS) is lacking for the Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). Temperature and humidity are of ecological significance throughout their life cycle, but the role of oviposition site selection for larval development and survival may vary considerably. In this review, we conducted a literature survey of studies on the Lepidoptera that analysed oviposition site selection in the field and that tested for MBOSS relationships in natural habitats. We focused on the following questions: (&lt;i&gt;i&lt;/i&gt;) how common is MBOSS in butterflies and moths; (&lt;i&gt;ii&lt;/i&gt;) to what extent does the preference–performance hypothesis apply for MBOSS in this group of insects; and (&lt;i&gt;iii&lt;/i&gt;) what is the relevance of MBOSS relationships for conservation principles and conservation management? In 89% of the tested cases, evidence for MBOSS was found, although there was a strong bias towards studies on temperate-zone butterfly species. By contrast, moths and tropical butterflies were understudied. Several moth studies did not provide support for the MBOSS hypothesis. Whether MBOSS occurred relative to warmer, cooler or thermally more buffered sites depended on: (&lt;i&gt;i&lt;/i&gt;) the spatial scale at which MBOSS was tested; and (&lt;i&gt;ii&lt;/i&gt;) regional climatic conditions. Vegetation type (i.e. forest &lt;i&gt;versus&lt;/i&gt; non-forest habitats) was not significantly predictive for the type of MBOSS. However, when analysed in a case-by-case manner, vegetation type often clarified the ecological circumstances under which MBOSS was observed. There was a high prevalence of oviposition site selection for warmer microclimates than the thermal conditions of the surrounding environment. Understanding microclimate-mediated behavioural interactions with the environment is a key component for understanding resource-centred functional habitat and movement patterns to spread eggs in herbivorous insects. This small-scale component of habitat heterogeneity (including post-disturbed early-successional microhabitats) is key for understanding functional habitat use in butterflies and moths and is of high relevance for conse","PeriodicalId":133,"journal":{"name":"Biological Reviews","volume":"101 5","pages":"2359-2378"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147831433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A mosaic of microclimates: biodiversity outcomes and wildlife habitat potential in large-scale solar facilities","authors":"Tom Armstrong,&nbsp;Caleb L. Loughran,&nbsp;Joshua R. Ennen,&nbsp;Kristoffer H. Wild,&nbsp;Eric J. Nordberg","doi":"10.1002/brv.70171","DOIUrl":"10.1002/brv.70171","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The rapid global expansion of photovoltaic (PV) solar facilities, now comprising nearly 80% of the recent and projected growth of renewable electricity, represents one of the most significant land-use changes of the 21st century. While PV facilities are critical for decarbonising energy systems, their large spatial footprint and infrastructure fundamentally alter local abiotic conditions, with potential cascading effects on ecosystems and biodiversity. This review synthesises findings from 33 peer-reviewed publications across diverse climates and ecosystems, examining how large-scale solar facilities modify microclimates. Key environmental variables affected include temperature, humidity, wind speed, soil moisture, albedo, and photosynthetically active radiation. Generally, PV arrays create spatially heterogeneous microclimates: air temperatures are often elevated above panels, while soils beneath tend to be cooler, more stable, and retain more moisture due to shading. However, these patterns are not universal. Generalisations are limited by small sample sizes, variation in sensor placement, and differences in study design, so results may not apply to all PV facilities or biomes. The effects of PV arrays on microclimate are likely context dependent, varying with local climate, facility design, and ground-cover management. This review highlights the need for standardised microclimate research and reporting within solar facilities to understand environmental variability better across sites and regions. Integrating microclimate studies with ecological modelling and habitat suitability assessments will help researchers and land managers determine how species interact with environments within and around PV facilities. Leveraging such insights can guide facility design, inform habitat restoration, and support the sustainable development of solar energy.</p>","PeriodicalId":133,"journal":{"name":"Biological Reviews","volume":"101 5","pages":"2158-2171"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/brv.70171","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147669443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Orchestrating the metastatic symphony: the role of extracellular vesicles in the epithelial–mesenchymal transition and pulmonary niche formation of breast cancer","authors":"Jian Lu,&nbsp;Reza Shirazi Nia,&nbsp;Junjie Sun,&nbsp;Chrysa Filippopoulou,&nbsp;Daniel De Vega,&nbsp;Pengtao Hu,&nbsp;Heng Liang,&nbsp;Hang Yao,&nbsp;Chaoyue Pan,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Wu,&nbsp;Xidong Gu,&nbsp;Xiaohong Xie,&nbsp;Georgios Giamas","doi":"10.1002/brv.70167","DOIUrl":"10.1002/brv.70167","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The complexity of breast cancer (BC) lung metastasis lies in the capacity of tumour cells to interact efficiently with distant organs to promote colonisation, a process that involves the sophisticated coordination of inherent cellular plasticity and the remodelling of the distant microenvironment. This review emphasises the essential function of extracellular vesicles (EVs) within this communication network. Tumour-derived EVs (TEVs) not only induce epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) by reprogramming breast cancer cell gene expression networks, thereby enhancing migratory and invasive capabilities, but also serve as a ‘vanguard’, arriving in the lungs in advance to educate stromal cells and establish a pre-metastatic niche that facilitates breast cancer progression. This review uniquely conceptualises EV-mediated EMT and niche formation as a synergistic and sequential biological continuum. We comprehensively examine the sorting mechanisms of EV molecular cargo, targeted delivery approaches, and hierarchical regulatory networks. Critically, we propose that the concurrent regulation of EMT and niche formation is likely driven by the synergistic action of distinct EV subpopulations rather than single ‘multitasking’ vesicles. Future investigations dissecting this heterogeneity will be pivotal for verifying this synergistic subpopulations hypothesis and establishing a theoretical basis for precise EV-based metastasis intervention strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":133,"journal":{"name":"Biological Reviews","volume":"101 5","pages":"2103-2118"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/brv.70167","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147588885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The costs of extra-pair behaviours in birds","authors":"Jørgen S. Søraker,&nbsp;Jamie Dunning","doi":"10.1002/brv.70178","DOIUrl":"10.1002/brv.70178","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Extra-pair behaviours – reproductive behaviours, including those related to copulation and paternity of offspring, amongst animals outside of a social pair bond – have long intrigued behavioural ecologists, particularly from the female animal's perspective. Female extra-pair paternity is not supported by classic models of sexual selection yet is common across birds. Researchers recognise that variation in extra-pair paternity, both within and between species, is in part driven by the costs to the individual; however, empirical studies tend to focus on benefits. This is because benefits are often measured through direct fitness measurements, whereas costs have more complex, indirect pathways to fitness. However, both the prevalence and magnitude of a cost are experienced in the context of an individual's environment and may affect fitness, either directly (by affecting reproduction or survival) or indirectly (through the fitness of offspring). Here, we review our current understanding of costs associated with extra-pair paternity and extra-pair copulation. For example, we review both the costs of producing extra-pair offspring and the behaviour associated with extra-pair paternity. We conclude that the costs of extra-pair paternity and extra-pair copulation are understudied, but are likely a key factor shaping this behaviour. More research, particularly empirical and experimental studies in taxa other than birds, is needed to understand the intricate cost–benefit equation underlying extra-pair paternity.</p>","PeriodicalId":133,"journal":{"name":"Biological Reviews","volume":"101 5","pages":"2300-2312"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/brv.70178","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147808978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Counting cases, conserving species: addressing highly pathogenic avian influenza in wildlife","authors":"Ulrich Knief,&nbsp;Sandra Bouwhuis,&nbsp;Anja Globig,&nbsp;Anne Günther,&nbsp;Wouter Courtens","doi":"10.1002/brv.70173","DOIUrl":"10.1002/brv.70173","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has become a critical threat to wildlife, shifting from a seasonal epizootic to a persistent, year-round panzootic with global consequences. Here, we summarise the origin, evolutionary mechanisms, and expanding host range of the current H5N1 virus (clade 2.3.4.4b) and assess its impact on wildlife. Over the past 5 years, HPAI has caused the deaths of millions of wild birds, causing dramatic population declines in several seabird species. Mortality records, however, are often anecdotal, focus on localised mass die-offs, and thus represent only a fraction of the true mortality. This lack of quantitative data limits the ability to predict outbreak dynamics and mitigate long-term consequences. Using the northwestern European Sandwich tern (<i>Thalasseus sandvicensis</i>) population as a case study, we demonstrate the value of integrating mortality data with ecological, serological and genetic data before, during and after an outbreak. This approach uncovered age-specific vulnerability, selective mortality, and population immunological responses, and provided insights into how breeding density, carcass removal, and host adaptation modulate outbreak dynamics. The absence of a centralised and standardised wildlife mortality monitoring framework, on the other hand, remains a major barrier to effective outbreak forecasting and conservation planning. We argue that integrating population and mortality monitoring, serological assays, and genetic analyses within a One Health framework is essential to enable early detection, targeted mitigation, and robust evaluation of outbreak impacts, and caution that without a proactive and data-driven approach to conservation, HPAI will continue to threaten global wildlife populations, with cascading ecological, economic and public health consequences.</p>","PeriodicalId":133,"journal":{"name":"Biological Reviews","volume":"101 5","pages":"2190-2213"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/brv.70173","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147831422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Humans are not unique: difficult birth is common in placental mammals","authors":"Nicole D. S. Grunstra","doi":"10.1002/brv.70174","DOIUrl":"10.1002/brv.70174","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Human childbirth is widely presumed to be uniquely difficult and dangerous compared to birth in other mammals. Tight fetopelvic proportions can result in obstructed labour and contribute to high rates of maternal and neonatal mortality. Ideas summarised under the ‘obstetrical dilemma’ have contributed to this assumption by explaining difficult childbirth as the outcome of a unique evolutionary history of bipedalism and encephalisation. However, a comprehensive review of the literature and an analysis of collated data demonstrate that human birth is not truly exceptional in its risk. Dystocia (birth difficulties) occurs across a phylogenetically wide range of placental mammals, including wild populations where natural selection would be expected to minimise its occurrence. Various species show similar or higher dystocia prevalence compared to humans, and fetopelvic disproportion is particularly common in species with precocial, large-bodied offspring. The underlying causes and risk factors are also highly comparable. Contrary to long-standing assumptions, natural selection has not eliminated dystocia in natural mammal populations, suggesting that parturition in placentals may be characterised by a persistent baseline risk of complications. This persistent risk likely reflects a life history trade-off between the improved survival of large offspring and the occasional costs of birth complications. A cliff-edge model of selection can explain the evolutionary dynamics underlying this trade-off and the persistent fraction of fetopelvic disproportion and related forms of obstructive dystocia. An additional trade-off involving litter size is evident in litter-bearing, often altricial species, where both small and large litters increase the risk of dystocia. Phenotypic plasticity further maintains dystocia in populations despite selection, while also contributing to variation in birth difficulty within and among species. These findings reposition human birth difficulties within a broader mammalian pattern rather than as a uniquely human phenomenon requiring exceptional explanations. Reframing human childbirth in this broader context challenges entrenched assumptions and highlights the value of a comparative evolutionary perspective.</p>","PeriodicalId":133,"journal":{"name":"Biological Reviews","volume":"101 5","pages":"2214-2239"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/brv.70174","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147831358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"On the importance of including both sexes in animal studies – insights from home-cage monitoring","authors":"Maša Čater,&nbsp;Adam Dušek,&nbsp;Aleksandra Bartelik,&nbsp;Silvia Mandillo,&nbsp;Elisabetta Golini,&nbsp;Mara Rigamonti,&nbsp;Rasneer Sonia Bains,&nbsp;Hamish Forrest,&nbsp;Marion Rivalan,&nbsp;Melissa Long,&nbsp;Anna Kiryk,&nbsp;Lars Lewejohann,&nbsp;Nuno Henrique Franco","doi":"10.1002/brv.70184","DOIUrl":"10.1002/brv.70184","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A review of behavioural studies using home-cage monitoring (HCM) systems revealed that over 61% of studies used only male subjects, with only 24% including both sexes, despite evidence of substantial behavioural differences between male and female animals. This bias could influence the outcomes of biomedical research. This preference for male subjects has introduced a significant bias in preclinical animal studies, compromising the generalisability of research findings and potentially overlooking important sex differences in disease manifestation and response to therapies. This review highlights such sex differences in laboratory rodent behaviour, as observed through HCM systems. HCM provides an automated method for observing the behaviour of undisturbed animals in a familiar environment, offering valuable insights into sex-specific differences in behaviour and disease progression. In particular, we emphasise how this technology revealed sex differences in spontaneous activity and behaviour in models of neurodegenerative diseases, while demonstrating that, contrary to common belief, female rodents are not more variable than males in their behaviour. We further discuss the reasons underlying the prevalent sex bias in research and advocate for the inclusion of both sexes in neuroscience and behavioural studies, to enhance the generalisability and informative value of preclinical research, avoid unethical waste of animals and resources, and thereby support the Three Rs principles (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement of animal use).</p>","PeriodicalId":133,"journal":{"name":"Biological Reviews","volume":"101 5","pages":"2408-2426"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/brv.70184","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147925055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Loss, persistence and reversal of phenotypic traits","authors":"Giobbe Forni,&nbsp;Giuseppe Fusco,&nbsp;Filippo Nicolini,&nbsp;Heather Bruce,&nbsp;Andrea Luchetti","doi":"10.1002/brv.70168","DOIUrl":"10.1002/brv.70168","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The irreversibility of complex trait loss has long been a tenet of evolutionary biology. However, this idea is increasingly at odds with the numerous documented exceptions across the Tree of Life. We synthesise this growing body of evidence across a diverse array of taxa and traits, exploring the evolutionary conditions that enable evolutionary reversal. By integrating macroevolutionary, genetic, and developmental information, we argue that trait reversal is commonly fostered by some form of persistence in the generative developmental pathway of the lost trait. We identify three overarching modes of trait reversal and support them with multiple case studies: by pleiotropy (the involvement of the same generative components in other traits and/or functions), by plasticity (environment-dependent expression of the trait) and by hemiplasy (persistence in another lineage, followed by reticulate evolution). We also examine important affinities between trait reversal and evolutionary novelties, undermining a neat distinction between what is old and what is new in evolution. This survey may provide a useful framework for future explorations of the developmental mechanisms underlying these still overlooked macroevolutionary dynamics.</p>","PeriodicalId":133,"journal":{"name":"Biological Reviews","volume":"101 5","pages":"2119-2133"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/brv.70168","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147580135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}