Molecular Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Multiple Eurasian Origins and Admixture Shaped the Genomic Legacy of the House Mouse Invasion in Africa","authors":"Daniel Poveda-Martinez,&nbsp;Philippe Gauthier,&nbsp;Margaux J. M. Lefebvre,&nbsp;Fanny Degrugillier,&nbsp;Gauthier Dobigny,&nbsp;Jean-Pierre Quéré,&nbsp;Ambroise Dalecky,&nbsp;Youssoupha Niang,&nbsp;Mamadou Kane,&nbsp;Clark Mbou-Boutambe,&nbsp;Joa Mangombi,&nbsp;Solimane Ag Atteynine,&nbsp;Sylvestre Badou,&nbsp;Madougou Garba,&nbsp;Pierre Caminade,&nbsp;Barthélémy Ngoubangoye,&nbsp;Carole M. Smadja,&nbsp;Larson Boundenga,&nbsp;Laurent Granjon,&nbsp;Virginie Rougeron,&nbsp;Franck Prugnolle,&nbsp;Carine Brouat","doi":"10.1111/mec.70507","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70507","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Commensal mammals offer unique opportunities to study how human-mediated dispersal, admixture, and secondary contact shape genomic variation during range expansion, yet for one of the most successful invasive commensals globally, the western house mouse <i>Mus musculus domesticus</i>, invasion dynamics across Africa remain largely unexplored. Here, we present a large-scale population genomic analysis of 380 whole-genome sequences, including 303 newly sequenced low-coverage genomes, of which 216 are from 13 distinct African populations, enabling us to investigate how human-mediated dispersal and secondary contact with native species shape the genomic legacy of a commensal mammal invasion. Ancestry analyses reveal contributions from at least three major Eurasian source lineages contributing to African populations: an Iberian–West Asian lineage present in Morocco, Algeria, and Niger; a Mediterranean lineage represented in Tunisia; and a Northern European lineage dominant in West and Central Africa. Demographic inferences indicate both recent and ancient episodes of divergence and population contraction. In West and Central Africa, divergence times broadly overlap with European maritime expansion and colonial trade. In contrast, North African populations exhibit older coalescent signals, consistent with early participation in the western Mediterranean radiation. We also detect substantial introgression from the native <i>Mus spretus</i> into North African populations in regions of sympatry. Collectively, our results reveal that the African invasion of the house mouse was not a single demographic process but a mosaic of population-specific histories shaped by multiple introductions, shifting connectivity through time, admixture, and interspecific gene flow. These findings reinforce the importance of population-level perspectives in invasion genomics, especially for commensal mammals whose dispersal is closely tied to human movement, and establish the most extensive open genomic resource for wild African house mice.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mec.70507","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148753876","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":"Genetic Links to Gut Microbiome Variation in the Yellow-Rumped Warbler Hybrid Zone","authors":"Marcella D. Baiz,&nbsp;Lan-Nhi Phung,&nbsp;Daniel Pierce,&nbsp;Stephanie J. Szarmach,&nbsp;Johanna K. Beam,&nbsp;Shawn Healy,&nbsp;Alan Brelsford,&nbsp;David P. L. Toews","doi":"10.1111/mec.70498","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.70498","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The gut microbiome is a dynamic ecosystem wherein microbes can exert beneficial, neutral or harmful effects on their host organism. Previous research has supported a large role for the environment in shaping avian gut microbiome diversity, but host-specific factors that regulate gut microbiome variation remain elusive. In hybrid zones, genetic recombination shuffles divergent alleles among backcrossed individuals allowing associations between genomic regions and specific traits to be identified. In this study, we use an association mapping approach to investigate the contribution of host alleles in shaping gut microbiome composition. We collected samples from across the Yellow-rumped Warbler hybrid zone (<i>Setophaga coronata coronata</i> × <i>S. c. auduboni</i>), including from distantly allopatric sites. The narrow width of this hybrid zone suggests that selection acts against hybrids, although the source of that selection is unclear. We quantified gut microbiome variation using 16S amplicon sequencing and produced genome-wide sequence data for hosts to link warbler genotypes to microbiome traits. This study is one of the first to identify candidate genes underlying gut microbiome variation in wild passerines. Notably, candidate loci include genes with immune function, redox status and gene regulation functions; two genes overlap with candidate genes identified in another avian system. Genetic differentiation was weak among candidate loci, indicating that alleles associated with gut microbiome variation are shared between subspecies. Our analysis of microbiome variation across nearly the full breeding range of an avian species complex yields important insights on the genetic factors that shape symbiotic interactions in vertebrate systems.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 16","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148710529","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":"Environmental and Genetic Determinants of Early-Life Telomere Length in Tree Swallows","authors":"Claudie-Anne Langlois,&nbsp;Fanie Pelletier,&nbsp;Carolyne Houle,&nbsp;Julien G. A. Martin,&nbsp;Dany Garant","doi":"10.1111/mec.70492","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mec.70492","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Early-life environmental and genetic factors play key roles in shaping the fitness of individuals by influencing life-history traits. The impact of early life conditions is hypothesized to be reflected at the cellular level on telomere length. In many animal species, telomeres shorten with age and their length early in life is often related to individual life expectancy. It is therefore essential to understand the relative importance of environmental and genetic factors influencing telomere length during this early developmental period. In this study we determine the relative influence of environmental and genetic components on telomere length in Tree swallows (<i>Tachycineta bicolor</i>) across various environments. To do so, we used data from 518 nestlings across 176 broods, collected over 2 years in a population breeding in southern Québec (Canada). We found no effect of environmental conditions on telomere length but found that nestlings from larger broods tended to have slightly longer telomeres. Parent-offspring regressions revealed a significant and positive association between nestling rTL and that of their mothers. While the association was also positive for fathers-offspring, it was slightly weaker and not statistically significant. Heritability of telomere length estimated using an animal model ranged between 0.34 and 0.55. Our results suggest that telomere length of Tree swallow nestlings is influenced by the proximal environment (i.e., within a brood) and by a genetic component. These findings suggest that broader-scale environmental conditions might not directly affect nestlings at this stage.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/mec.70492","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148719491","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":"A Highly Expressed Odorant Receptor Detects the Aggregation Pheromone Rhynchophorol in the Invasive American Palm Weevil","authors":"Sai Zhang,&nbsp;Nicolas Montagné,&nbsp;Binu Antony,&nbsp;Guirong Wang,&nbsp;Mark Hoddle,&nbsp;Arnab Pain,&nbsp;Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly","doi":"10.1111/mec.70504","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mec.70504","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Communication via aggregation pheromones is responsible for the behavioural and ecological characteristics of many species of weevils (Coleoptera). In insects, pheromones are detected by specialized odorant receptors (ORs), called pheromone receptors (PRs), which are usually highly expressed in olfactory sensory neurons localized in the antennae. Yet, PRs in Coleoptera remain understudied, which limits our understanding of their response characteristics and potential multiple evolutionary origins. In this study, we search for PRs in the American palm weevil, <i>Rhynchophorus palmarum</i>, a pest species that poses a major threat to oil palm and coconut production in the Americas, for which no PR responding to its aggregation pheromone (2E)-6-methyl-2-hepten-4-ol (rhynchophorol) has been characterized. Combining published RNA-seq data with new data generated in this study, we identified two ORs highly expressed in the weevil antennae that represent strong candidate aggregation PRs. Sequence-based binding pocket prediction revealed overall structural similarity between these two ORs, but amino acid differences were identified, suggesting functional divergence. Using the <i>Xenopus</i> oocyte heterologous expression system, we demonstrated that RpalOR32 displayed specificity and strong sensitivity to the aggregation pheromone rhynchophorol, with minor responses to several structurally related compounds, while RpalOR25 showed no responses to pheromones or host plant volatiles. The newly identified PR in <i>R. palmarum</i> appeared phylogenetically distant from the aggregation PR previously identified in the related species <i>R. ferrugineus</i>, confirming the independent origin of weevil PRs, even at the genus level.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13454776/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148700197","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":"Global Population Structure and Dynamics of Wheat Powdery Mildew","authors":"Tim Kloppe,&nbsp;Rebecca B. Whetten,&nbsp;Ignazio Carbone,&nbsp;Christina Cowger","doi":"10.1111/mec.70477","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mec.70477","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The global movement of pests and pathogens can often be traced to human migratory activities that include the movement of agricultural crops. The causal agent of wheat powdery mildew, the ascomycete fungus <i>Blumeria graminis</i> f. sp. <i>tritici</i> (<i>B. graminis</i> f. sp. <i>tritici</i>), is internationally distributed and one of the most rapidly adapting phytopathogens. To investigate population genetic structure, diversity and migratory potential, reduced-representation sequencing was performed on a collection of 653 <i>B. graminis</i> f. sp. <i>tritici</i> isolates from 16 countries and 6 continents. Phylogenetic inference, clustering, and population differentiation analyses were conducted, along with gene-flow estimates based on an isolation-with-migration model. The analyses revealed that the global <i>B. graminis</i> f. sp. <i>tritici</i> population is genetically differentiated into (1) older populations from Eurasia that show high internal genetic diversity and admixture with one another, and (2) genetically less diverse populations that were founded in former European colonies. Notably, Brazilian strains were phylogenetically separated from those originating in countries with a shared history of British colonization. Low gene flow suggests that natural migration of virulent isolates from abroad is limited in the former colonies. In contrast, higher estimates of gene flow among Europe, China, and Russia suggest that migration may contribute to <i>B. graminis</i> f. sp. <i>tritici</i> adaptation to novel resistance sources within Eurasia.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13454308/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148700127","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":"Range-Wide Genetic Population Structure and Environmental Adaptation in the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) Provides Insight for Aquaculture","authors":"Madeline G. Eppley,&nbsp;Kiran Bajaj,&nbsp;Camille Rumberger,&nbsp;Elisabeth Leung,&nbsp;Nicole Mongillo,&nbsp;Jessica Small,&nbsp;Katie E. Lotterhos","doi":"10.1111/mec.70502","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mec.70502","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Selective breeding in aquaculture is necessary to establish food security and meet demand for sustainably produced protein. An informed selective breeding program requires understanding how population structure, environmental adaptation, and human activities shape natural genetic variation in wild conspecifics. Unfortunately, wild variation remains poorly characterised for many commercially important aquaculture species. Here, we conduct the first range-wide study of genomic population structure for the eastern oyster (<i>Crassostrea virginica</i>) across thousands of miles (Texas, USA to Eastern Canada) using a 200K SNP array. We integrate population structure analyses, genotype-environmental associations, and structural variant detection to identify adaptive loci and quantify human-mediated genetic impacts. Our data confirm two ancestral clusters with a phylogeographic break between the Gulf and Atlantic (F_ST = 0.16) and highlight patterns of substructure within each region. We find evidence of unexpected patterns of genomic variation in two locations: evidence of Gulf ancestry in a mid-Atlantic estuary (Chesapeake Bay), and evidence of Atlantic ancestry in a Gulf estuary (Apalachicola Bay). While we cannot definitively determine the causes of these unexpected patterns, we show that they are consistent with direct and indirect human impacts in these estuaries. Genotype-environment association analyses with in situ temperature and salinity measurements were used to identify putatively adaptive loci, including SNPs within large structural variants (&gt; 1 Mb). Our results identified genomic targets for aquaculture breeding programs aimed at climate resilience, reveal complex patterns of human impacts in managed systems, and demonstrate how seascape genomics can be used to improve aquaculture outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13446745/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148682789","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":"Divergent Thermal Reaction Norms of the Spontaneous Mutation Rate Among Populations of Chironomus riparius","authors":"Markus Pfenninger,&nbsp;Maria Esther Nieto-Blazquez,&nbsp;Burak Bulut","doi":"10.1111/mec.70503","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mec.70503","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The germline mutation rate <i>μ</i> is a fundamental evolutionary parameter, yet its plasticity in response to environmental factors, particularly temperature, remains poorly understood. While often modelled as a species-specific constant, we tested whether <i>μ</i> evolves in response to local thermal regimes. Using whole-genome sequencing of mutation accumulation lines in the non-biting midge <i>Chironomus riparius</i>, we demonstrate divergent thermal reaction norms between populations from climatically distinct regions: Central Europe (Germany) and the Mediterranean (Spain). The Central European population displays a highly plastic, U-shaped reaction norm, whereas the Mediterranean population exhibits a more canalised, temperature-insensitive response. This divergence conforms to theoretical expectations: the higher thermal variance of high-latitude habitats selects for plasticity, while thermally more stable Mediterranean habitats favour robustness and optimise mutational load in the respective thermal regimes. Furthermore, population-specific mutational spectra (Ts/Tv ratios) indicated evolved differences in DNA repair machinery. However, this is only partially mirrored by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) dynamics, where Mediterranean larvae maintain lower ROS levels and a buffered response to thermal extremes. These findings provide evidence for evolution of the mutation rate itself, challenging the assumption of constancy.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13446738/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148682693","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":"Genetic Composition Is Unrelated to Song Content in a Wild Passerine","authors":"Mónika Jablonszky,&nbsp;David Canal,&nbsp;Gergely Hegyi,&nbsp;Gergely Nagy,&nbsp;Balázs Rosivall,&nbsp;János Török,&nbsp;Sándor Zsebők,&nbsp;László Zsolt Garamszegi","doi":"10.1111/mec.70491","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mec.70491","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Birdsong is a key sexual signal that varies substantially among individuals and populations. Understanding whether song similarity reflects genetic similarity is central for evaluating its role in sexual selection, population divergence and evolutionary dynamics, although partial vocal learning can obscure this relationship in many species. Assessing the relationship between song and genetic variation requires accounting for both spatial and temporal heterogeneity in both traits, so despite its importance, the genetic architecture underlying song traits, and in particular song content, remains poorly understood. Here, drawing on 15 years of song recordings and extensive SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) data, we investigate whether song similarity among males reflects their genome-wide genetic similarity in the collared flycatcher (<i>Ficedula albicollis</i>), a migratory passerine with complex and variable songs. After accounting for geographic and temporal separation, we found no strong association between male song similarity and genome-wide genetic similarity. Moreover, males belonging to the same genetic cluster did not seem to produce more similar songs than those from different clusters. Additionally, genetic distance was unrelated to either geographic or temporal distance, and geographic proximity did not predict song similarity. Instead, song content similarity decreased with increasing temporal separation between recordings, consistent with cultural evolution. Together, these findings indicate that biologically relevant song features are primarily shaped by cultural processes rather than genetic architecture, enabling rapid, flexible responses to environmental changes.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13439345/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148672783","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":"Genes Related to Sperm Motility Are Under Recent Ongoing Selection in Two Shorebird Species With a Polygynous Mating System and Frequent Multiple Paternity","authors":"Jakob C. Mueller,&nbsp;Bart Kempenaers","doi":"10.1111/mec.70493","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mec.70493","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The analysis of the genomic architecture of selection can be insightful for the understanding of sexual conflict and sexual selection acting in wild populations. In general, there will be a wide range of possible targets of selection in the reproductive system of sexually promiscuous species. In the context of a dynamic conflict, selection is expected to be predominantly recurrent and it might be best investigated by combining population-level and phylogenetic approaches on multiple species. First, we used population-based methods to scan for recent selection in the socially polygynous pectoral sandpiper (<i>Calidris melanotos</i>). We assembled and annotated the pectoral sandpiper genome and re-sequenced the genome of 20 random individuals of a single breeding population. We identified genes coding for axonemal constituents which are mostly expressed in the testis as selection targets. These genes most likely influence energy-driven sperm motility, suggesting a role in sperm competition in this species. Second, we replicated the analysis and found similar results in another promiscuous shorebird, the ruff (<i>Calidris pugnax</i>), using publicly available data of 25 re-sequenced individuals. Finally, a comparative genomics approach among six <i>Calidris</i> species with publicly available genome assemblies showed similar signals of selection, suggesting historical episodes of postcopulatory sexual selection or sexual conflict in genes related to sperm motility.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13439353/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148672833","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":"Telomere Length at Recruitment Predicts Lifespan and Lifetime Reproductive Success in the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)","authors":"Andrea Novelli,&nbsp;Manuela Caprioli,&nbsp;Roberto Ambrosini,&nbsp;Alessandra Costanzo,&nbsp;Diego Rubolini,&nbsp;Marco Parolini,&nbsp;Andrea Romano","doi":"10.1111/mec.70496","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mec.70496","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Identifying molecular mechanisms linked to variation in lifespan, reproductive output and sexually selected traits is key to understanding life-history evolution in wild populations. Telomere length (TL) and attrition (ΔTL) have been proposed as biomarkers of somatic state and maintenance (survival). Yet evidence linking telomeres to lifetime fitness and ornament expression remains limited. We quantified age-related variation in TL and annual ΔTL between the year of recruitment (1-year-old) and death, as well as tested whether TL at recruitment predicts realized lifespan and lifetime reproductive success in a short-lived migratory passerine, the barn swallow (<i>Hirundo rustica</i>). We also examined associations between TL/ΔTL and two sexual ornaments (outermost tail feathers length and ventral plumage colouration). TL constantly declined with age, and longer TL as yearling was linked to increased lifespan and higher number of fledglings during the entire life, indicating that TL captures considerable variation in individual quality. Moreover, longer tail feathers and a larger increase in tail length between consecutive years were associated, respectively, with shorter TL and faster ΔTL among females. Additionally, plumage darkening between consecutive years was associated with reduced ΔTL in both sexes, indicating that telomeres covary with secondary sexual traits in a sex- and trait-specific manner and may be involved in sexual selection processes. Overall, even in a species with high annual mortality, TL positively predicted major fitness components, supporting TL as a biomarker of individual quality and suggesting that longer telomeres at the onset of adulthood may be favoured by natural selection in wild populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":"35 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13439346/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148672859","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}