Since the first molecular study providing evidence for mating outside the pair bond in birds
over 30 years ago,> 500 studies have reported rates of extra‐pair paternity (EPP) in> 300 …

The consequences of polyandry for female fitness are controversial. Sexual conflict studies
and a meta‐analysis of mating rates in insects suggest that there is a longevity cost when …

Explaining variation in life expectancy between individuals of the same age is fundamental
to our understanding of population ecology and life history evolution. Variation in the length …

Background The vertebrate gut microbiome (GM) can vary substantially across individuals
within the same natural population. Although there is evidence linking the GM to health in …

Background The gut microbiome (GM) can influence many biological processes in the host,
impacting its health and survival, but the GM can also be influenced by the host's traits. In …

Major histocompatibility complex (Mhc) genes are believed to play a key role in the genetic
basis of disease control. Although numerous studies have sought links between Mhc and …

Cryptic female choice may enable polyandrous females to avoid inbreeding or bias offspring
variability at key loci after mating. However, the role of these genetic benefits in cryptic …

Driven by co‐evolution with pathogens, host immunity continuously adapts to optimize
defence against pathogens within a given environment. Recent advances in genetics …

Individual variation in telomere length is predictive of health and mortality risk across a
range of species. However, the relative influence of environmental and genetic variation on …

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes encode proteins involved in the recognition
of parasite‐derived antigens. Their extreme polymorphism is presumed to be driven by co …