Paul Huber | Better together: Do siblings help each other cope with environmental stress?

In this ‘Behind the paper’ blog post, author Paul Huber – a PhD student at the University of Bayreuth, Germany – discusses his article “Context-dependent joint buffering of abiotic stress by parental care and sibling interactions“, which was recently published in Functional Ecology. Paul and team tested whether environmental stress increases social interactions in burying beetles. The answer is complex: it depends on who’s present, … Continue reading Paul Huber | Better together: Do siblings help each other cope with environmental stress?

Upama Aich | Salty ups and downs: fluctuating salinity affects egg and ejaculate investments

In this ‘Behind the Paper’ blog post, author Upama Aich – a Forrest Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia – discusses her paper “Developmental environment and age shape macronutrient allocation to eggs and ejaculates“, which was published in Functional Ecology in February 2026. Upama shares how fluctuating salinity can leave lasting reproductive signatures in mosquitofish, the challenges of conducting biochemical assays with tiny sample volumes, and … Continue reading Upama Aich | Salty ups and downs: fluctuating salinity affects egg and ejaculate investments