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Over 20 species of geographically and phylogenetically diverse bird species produce convergent whining vocalizations towards their respective brood parasites. Model presentation and playback experiments across multiple continents suggest that these learned calls provoke an innate response even among allopatric species.

She was a tireless advocate for conservation, the welfare of captive chimpanzees and the protection of habitats.

The findings of a new study about communication between birds also offer key insights into the origins of language.

Combining fossil-based and molecular calibrations with data on horizontal gene transfer events, the authors develop a time-calibrated phylogeny of Fungi. This timescale, which integrates analytic uncertainties, suggests an older age of crown Fungi (1,401–896 million years ago), as well as a minimum age for ancient interactions involving fungi and the algal ancestors of embryophytes in terrestrial ecosystems (1,253–797 Ma).

Mitochondrial DNA from horses at the Middle Pleistocene archaeological site of Schöningen reveals insight into the evolutionary history of horses and advances techniques for the analysis of ancient DNA retrieved from highly degraded samples.

Patricia Sanchez-Baracaldo zooms in and out on cyanobacteria.

Human ignitions and lightning strikes both influence global fire regimes. Here the authors disaggregate the two effects in an analysis of global daily fuel moisture and flammability threshold datasets...

Human ignitions and lightning strikes both influence global fire regimes. Here the authors disaggregate the two effects in an analysis of global daily fuel moisture and flammability threshold datasets...

This meta-analysis finds that planting nitrogen-fixing species increases soil carbon compared with non-nitrogen-fixing species. Using nitrogen-fixing species for forestation, agriculture and land rege...

Analysis of crop yields, farmer income and bird species abundances identifies multiple positive outcomes of a large-scale Indian government-incentivized agroecology initiative.

The number of individuals in a given space influences animal interactions and network dynamics. Here the authors identify general rules underlying density dependence in animal networks and reveal some...

Across 97% of forest area from eight million sampled forested locations worldwide, the density of aboveground biomass is lower near forest edges than in forest interiors. Given widespread forest fragm...

What being outsmarted by a tropical plant taught Matthew Betts about science.

Job Title: Associate or Senior Editor, Nature Communications (Geosciences) Location(s): Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, New York, Washington, Jersey Ci...

Discovery of a marine diatom-associated Bradyrhizobium that nodulates a terrestrial legume expands our understanding of the environmental and host range of nitrogen-fixing symbioses.

Measuring selection and dominance in fitness of the insecticide-resistant Ace alleles in Drosophila melanogaster, the authors show evidence for beneficial reversal of dominance, a mechanism that can s...

Across 97% of forest area from eight million sampled forested locations worldwide, the density of aboveground biomass is lower near forest edges than in forest interiors. Given widespread forest fragm...

Trees are reaching their limit to withstand extreme droughts. A CREAF study warns of major risks for forests as the climate grows drier.

The number of individuals in a given space influences animal interactions and network dynamics. Here the authors identify general rules underlying density dependence in animal networks and reveal some...

Using experimental and modelling evidence, this study reveals that small coral populations face fertilization failure due to Allee effects. The findings identify critical population thresholds needed ...

Nitrogen and phosphorus limitations are both key to spatial patterns and temporal trends in primary production. This global analysis indicates that phosphorus limitation on terrestrial primary product...