Laura Bertola
@lauradbertola.bsky.social
Scientist👩🔬/Biologist🦁/Conservationist🌍
Formerly @UniLeiden, @CUNY #hickerlab, @uni_copenhagen, currently @NCBS_Bangalore;
Chair #LeoFoundation;
she/her
Formerly @UniLeiden, @CUNY #hickerlab, @uni_copenhagen, currently @NCBS_Bangalore;
Chair #LeoFoundation;
she/her
Unlocking natural history collections to improve eDNA reference databases and biodiversity monitoring
academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
Unlocking natural history collections to improve eDNA reference databases and biodiversity monitoring
Abstract. Biodiversity changes due to human activities highlight the need for efficient biodiversity monitoring approaches. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metaba
academic.oup.com
February 17, 2026 at 7:52 AM
Unlocking natural history collections to improve eDNA reference databases and biodiversity monitoring
academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
Genetic legacy and recent cross of two ancient lineages underlie the rebound of the world’s rarest primate
www.science.org/doi/full/10....
www.science.org/doi/full/10....
Genetic legacy and recent cross of two ancient lineages underlie the rebound of the world’s rarest primate
Fecal genomic analysis of Hainan gibbon reveals roles of demography, recombination, and behavioral regulation during its recovery.
www.science.org
February 16, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Genetic legacy and recent cross of two ancient lineages underlie the rebound of the world’s rarest primate
www.science.org/doi/full/10....
www.science.org/doi/full/10....
Transmission of MPXV from fire-footed rope squirrels to sooty mangabeys
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Transmission of MPXV from fire-footed rope squirrels to sooty mangabeys - Nature
An outbreak of MPXV in sooty mangabeys in Côte d’Ivoire was linked to MPXV-infected fire-footed rope squirrels, providing direct evidence of interspecies transmission and indicating risk for zoonotic ...
www.nature.com
February 15, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Transmission of MPXV from fire-footed rope squirrels to sooty mangabeys
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Restore or rewild? Implementing complementary approaches to bend the curve on biodiversity loss
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Restore or rewild? Implementing complementary approaches to bend the curve on biodiversity loss
We discuss the benefits of integrating restoration and rewilding in conservation projects and highlight how such integration could increase the amount of space available for nature recovery; boost kn...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
February 15, 2026 at 9:02 AM
Restore or rewild? Implementing complementary approaches to bend the curve on biodiversity loss
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
A macrogenetic analysis of isolation mechanisms shaping genetic divergence in mammals
academic.oup.com/jhered/advan...
academic.oup.com/jhered/advan...
A macrogenetic analysis of isolation mechanisms shaping genetic divergence in mammals
Abstract. Understanding the processes that shape spatial genetic differentiation is essential for understanding how populations adapt to environmental chan
academic.oup.com
February 13, 2026 at 11:47 AM
A macrogenetic analysis of isolation mechanisms shaping genetic divergence in mammals
academic.oup.com/jhered/advan...
academic.oup.com/jhered/advan...
Global determinants of home range sizes in felids: Evidence of human disturbance impact
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Global determinants of home range sizes in felids: Evidence of human disturbance impact
This study is the first to demonstrate the influence of anthropogenic factors and species richness in felids on home range size across the entire felid taxon. Felids are a taxon of major interest in ...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
February 12, 2026 at 4:15 PM
Global determinants of home range sizes in felids: Evidence of human disturbance impact
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Dispersal and isolation of the scaly-foot snail across abyssal insular habitats and through time
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Dispersal and isolation of the scaly-foot snail across abyssal insular habitats and through time
How species disperse and have dispersed is a central question in biology, as it governs patterns of genetic isolation and is a key driver of evolution…
www.sciencedirect.com
February 12, 2026 at 12:29 PM
Dispersal and isolation of the scaly-foot snail across abyssal insular habitats and through time
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Demographic buffering in natural populations: A multi-level perspective
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Demographic buffering in natural populations: A multi‐level perspective
We introduce a multi-level framework that unites stochastic elasticities with nonlinear selection to test demographic buffering. Applying it across mammals reveals a key insight: ecological robustnes...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
February 11, 2026 at 10:30 PM
Demographic buffering in natural populations: A multi-level perspective
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
The evolutionary history of the field vole species complex revealed by modern and ancient genomes
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
The evolutionary history of the field vole species complex revealed by modern and ancient genomes - Genome Biology
Background The field vole, an abundant and widespread microtine rodent, is a complex comprised of three cryptic species: the short-tailed field vole (Microtus agrestis) which is present over much of E...
link.springer.com
February 10, 2026 at 11:46 AM
The evolutionary history of the field vole species complex revealed by modern and ancient genomes
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Incomplete lineage sorting shaped mixed traits during a colobine primate radiation
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
February 10, 2026 at 7:41 AM
Incomplete lineage sorting shaped mixed traits during a colobine primate radiation
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Intertwined threats of nationalized nature and privatized ecological research for global biodiversity conservation
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Intertwined threats of nationalized nature and privatized ecological research for global biodiversity conservation
The delineation of nature by political borders and the restricted accessibility of ecological research data present intertwined challenges to global biodiversity conservation. We examined how the nat...
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
February 9, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Intertwined threats of nationalized nature and privatized ecological research for global biodiversity conservation
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Limited Dispersal Drives Strong Genetic Structure in the Commercially Harvested Gastropod Buccinum undatum in the Western North Atlantic
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Limited Dispersal Drives Strong Genetic Structure in the Commercially Harvested Gastropod Buccinum undatum in the Western North Atlantic
Direct-developing species lack the pelagic larval phase which facilitates connectivity in most marine species. Consequently, they tend to exhibit spatially restricted dispersal and increased populati...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
February 8, 2026 at 12:34 PM
Limited Dispersal Drives Strong Genetic Structure in the Commercially Harvested Gastropod Buccinum undatum in the Western North Atlantic
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Climate, ecological dynamics, and the seasonal distribution of birds in mountains
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Climate, ecological dynamics, and the seasonal distribution of birds in mountains
Ecological dynamics related to energy use and competition drives the seasonal distribution of birds in mountains across the world.
www.science.org
February 8, 2026 at 8:45 AM
Climate, ecological dynamics, and the seasonal distribution of birds in mountains
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Genetic monitoring of an endangered arable weed reveals local maintenance of genetic variation in times of land use and climate change
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Genetic monitoring of an endangered arable weed reveals local maintenance of genetic variation in times of land use and climate change - Scientific Reports
Genetic monitoring is a powerful tool to reveal human impact on genetic diversity and genetic differentiation in times of land use and climate change. Unfortunately, it is not yet frequently applied i...
www.nature.com
February 7, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Genetic monitoring of an endangered arable weed reveals local maintenance of genetic variation in times of land use and climate change
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
An ancient genome duplication event drives the development and evolution of spinnerets in spiders
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
An ancient genome duplication event drives the development and evolution of spinnerets in spiders
A genome duplication event during the Silurian played a crucial role in the evolutionary emergence of spinnerets in spiders.
www.science.org
January 31, 2026 at 10:03 PM
An ancient genome duplication event drives the development and evolution of spinnerets in spiders
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Pesticide residues alter taxonomic and functional biodiversity in soils
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Pesticide residues alter taxonomic and functional biodiversity in soils - Nature
A wide survey of pesticide effects on soil biodiversity across 373 sites in Europe reveals that pesticide residues occur in 70% of sites and have major effects on soil biodiversity and functional...
www.nature.com
January 30, 2026 at 12:08 PM
Pesticide residues alter taxonomic and functional biodiversity in soils
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Genome wide data recover hierarchical genetic structure and help define conservation units for the threatened Asian Houbara
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Genome wide data recover hierarchical genetic structure and help define conservation units for the threatened Asian Houbara - Scientific Reports
Scientific Reports - Genome wide data recover hierarchical genetic structure and help define conservation units for the threatened Asian Houbara
www.nature.com
January 30, 2026 at 12:06 PM
Genome wide data recover hierarchical genetic structure and help define conservation units for the threatened Asian Houbara
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Genetic consequences of rapid demographic collapses suggested by population genomics of the black-necked crane
royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...
royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...
Genetic consequences of rapid demographic collapses suggested by population genomics of the black-necked crane
Abstract. Many plant and animal species face rapid demographic declines, requiring an examination of the genetic consequences. The small population paradig
royalsocietypublishing.org
January 29, 2026 at 12:29 PM
Genetic consequences of rapid demographic collapses suggested by population genomics of the black-necked crane
royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...
royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...
U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office
A Science analysis reveals how many were fired, retired, or quit across 14 agencies
www.science.org
January 28, 2026 at 1:44 PM
U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Who knows poo? Inaccuracy of scat identifications in the field necessitates genetic confirmation of scat donors
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Who knows poo? Inaccuracy of scat identifications in the field necessitates genetic confirmation of scat donors - Mammalian Biology
Mammalian Biology - Non-invasive sampling using faeces can provide valuable ecological information on rare and elusive species, for example histological diet analyses. However, inaccurate field...
link.springer.com
January 27, 2026 at 1:08 PM
Who knows poo? Inaccuracy of scat identifications in the field necessitates genetic confirmation of scat donors
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Museums and zoos: a formula for rapid genetic identification of elusive species and practical applications for conservation and systematics in the Global South
academic.oup.com/biolinnean/a...
academic.oup.com/biolinnean/a...
Museums and zoos: a formula for rapid genetic identification of elusive species and practical applications for conservation and systematics in the Global South
Abstract. Obtaining genetic information from elusive species is challenging for scientists, but it is crucial for understanding animal evolutionary history
academic.oup.com
January 25, 2026 at 4:50 PM
Museums and zoos: a formula for rapid genetic identification of elusive species and practical applications for conservation and systematics in the Global South
academic.oup.com/biolinnean/a...
academic.oup.com/biolinnean/a...
To further strengthen our network in West Africa, #LeoFoundation started a new collaboration with West Africa Conservation Network (WACN) 🦁
Read more about this new partnership here:
leofoundation.org/en/a-new-col...
Read more about this new partnership here:
leofoundation.org/en/a-new-col...
leofoundation.org
January 25, 2026 at 2:24 PM
To further strengthen our network in West Africa, #LeoFoundation started a new collaboration with West Africa Conservation Network (WACN) 🦁
Read more about this new partnership here:
leofoundation.org/en/a-new-col...
Read more about this new partnership here:
leofoundation.org/en/a-new-col...
Targeted Airborne eDNA of an Invasive Wallaby: Effects of Sampler Type, Distance, and Environmental Conditions
dx.doi.org/10.1002/edn3...
dx.doi.org/10.1002/edn3...
Targeted Airborne eDNA of an Invasive Wallaby: Effects of Sampler Type, Distance, and Environmental Conditions
Airborne eDNA detection of terrestrial vertebrates is influenced by sampler design, distance, and environmental conditions. Using a targeted qPCR assay, we show that active sampling and coarse-partic....
dx.doi.org
January 25, 2026 at 7:39 AM
Targeted Airborne eDNA of an Invasive Wallaby: Effects of Sampler Type, Distance, and Environmental Conditions
dx.doi.org/10.1002/edn3...
dx.doi.org/10.1002/edn3...
Aging populations threaten conservation goals of zoos
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Aging populations threaten conservation goals of zoos | PNAS
Improvements in wildlife husbandry mean that many zoo animals are living longer. This
has put pressure on the finite holding capacity of zoos, whic...
www.pnas.org
January 24, 2026 at 8:26 AM
Aging populations threaten conservation goals of zoos
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Negative global-scale association between genetic diversity and speciation rates in mammals
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Negative global-scale association between genetic diversity and speciation rates in mammals - Nature Communications
Genetic diversity and speciation rate support adaptability and species richness patterns, respectively. Here, the authors find a negative association between mitochondrial genetic diversity and specia...
www.nature.com
January 23, 2026 at 7:11 PM
Negative global-scale association between genetic diversity and speciation rates in mammals
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...