Noah Leith
@noahleith.bsky.social
Sexual selection - animal communication - ecophys - disease ecology - global change
NSF Postdoc Fellow at UC Berkeley 🏳️🌈(he/him)
leith-ecology-evolution.com
NSF Postdoc Fellow at UC Berkeley 🏳️🌈(he/him)
leith-ecology-evolution.com
Reposted by Noah Leith
Ants recognize their nestmates by their distinctive hydrocarbons, including alkenes. Ozone pollution can degrade these alkene compounds, leaving these social insects stranded in a world of strangers . In PNAS: https://ow.ly/qrCn50Yaq1f
February 7, 2026 at 1:00 AM
Ants recognize their nestmates by their distinctive hydrocarbons, including alkenes. Ozone pollution can degrade these alkene compounds, leaving these social insects stranded in a world of strangers . In PNAS: https://ow.ly/qrCn50Yaq1f
Reposted by Noah Leith
New paper out in @funecology.bsky.social y.social: Warm waters undermine cryptic female choice! We find ovarian fluid only has a positive effect on sperm function at colder temperatures and that sneaker males have faster sperm than dominant nesting males at warmer temperatures. (1/3)
Warm waters undermine cryptic female choice
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
January 29, 2026 at 4:33 PM
New paper out in @funecology.bsky.social y.social: Warm waters undermine cryptic female choice! We find ovarian fluid only has a positive effect on sperm function at colder temperatures and that sneaker males have faster sperm than dominant nesting males at warmer temperatures. (1/3)
Reposted by Noah Leith
🌊 Parasites are not always bad! In blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), trematode infection can buffer acute heat stress, linked to increased heat shock protein expression. A surprising twist on host-parasite interactions under warming conditions
📖 buff.ly/5dVyY6X
📖 buff.ly/5dVyY6X
January 29, 2026 at 12:01 PM
🌊 Parasites are not always bad! In blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), trematode infection can buffer acute heat stress, linked to increased heat shock protein expression. A surprising twist on host-parasite interactions under warming conditions
📖 buff.ly/5dVyY6X
📖 buff.ly/5dVyY6X
Reposted by Noah Leith
Reposted by Noah Leith
Looking for a postdoc to work with existing SNP data from parasites of guppies across Trinidad. How do river structure, host specialisation, and host behaviour structure parasite population genetic structure and evolutionary potential? Join me in Stockholm! Email me :D
su.varbi.com/what:job/job...
su.varbi.com/what:job/job...
Postdoktor i parasiters populationsgenetik
Zoologiska institutionen är en av de äldsta institutionerna vid Stockholms universitet och har en lång historia av grundläggande och tillämpad djurforskning, från leddjur till stora däggdjur. I
su.varbi.com
January 27, 2026 at 8:38 AM
Looking for a postdoc to work with existing SNP data from parasites of guppies across Trinidad. How do river structure, host specialisation, and host behaviour structure parasite population genetic structure and evolutionary potential? Join me in Stockholm! Email me :D
su.varbi.com/what:job/job...
su.varbi.com/what:job/job...
Reposted by Noah Leith
Such a deserving award winner! @moore-evo-eco.bsky.social @sicb.bsky.social
January 7, 2026 at 3:38 AM
Such a deserving award winner! @moore-evo-eco.bsky.social @sicb.bsky.social
Reposted by Noah Leith
New preprint modeling pathogen phylogeography, where infected hosts spread disease through short "trips" between locations. Very fun collaboration with the brilliant @albertchristian.bsky.social and Ammon Thompson.
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
December 31, 2025 at 9:00 PM
New preprint modeling pathogen phylogeography, where infected hosts spread disease through short "trips" between locations. Very fun collaboration with the brilliant @albertchristian.bsky.social and Ammon Thompson.
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...
Reposted by Noah Leith
So excited to share our new work out in @evolletters.bsky.social today!
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Sexual signals and preferences for them often differ across groups, contributing to reproductive isolation. But how do new signals evolve if females already have preferences for existing ones? (1/4)
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Sexual signals and preferences for them often differ across groups, contributing to reproductive isolation. But how do new signals evolve if females already have preferences for existing ones? (1/4)
How relaxed preferences facilitate the evolution of novel animal signals
Abstract. The evolution of novel animal signals is critical to the generation of biodiversity. Here, we explore how new sexual signals become established.
doi.org
December 8, 2025 at 6:33 PM
So excited to share our new work out in @evolletters.bsky.social today!
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Sexual signals and preferences for them often differ across groups, contributing to reproductive isolation. But how do new signals evolve if females already have preferences for existing ones? (1/4)
doi.org/10.1093/evle...
Sexual signals and preferences for them often differ across groups, contributing to reproductive isolation. But how do new signals evolve if females already have preferences for existing ones? (1/4)
Reposted by Noah Leith
rdcu.be/eSIHs
We reported on the chemosensory toolkit of an Orb weaving spider in our PNAS paper earlier this year. Here, we report on a cursorial spider: similar, sex-specific sensory equipment and evidence for olfaction.
🧪🕷
We reported on the chemosensory toolkit of an Orb weaving spider in our PNAS paper earlier this year. Here, we report on a cursorial spider: similar, sex-specific sensory equipment and evidence for olfaction.
🧪🕷
The chemosensory toolkit of the cursorial spider Pisaura mirabilis
Communications Biology - Discovery of chemosensory sensilla with different distributions on the body appendages and between the sexes of a cursorial spider, combined with evidence of olfactory mate...
rdcu.be
December 2, 2025 at 9:58 AM
rdcu.be/eSIHs
We reported on the chemosensory toolkit of an Orb weaving spider in our PNAS paper earlier this year. Here, we report on a cursorial spider: similar, sex-specific sensory equipment and evidence for olfaction.
🧪🕷
We reported on the chemosensory toolkit of an Orb weaving spider in our PNAS paper earlier this year. Here, we report on a cursorial spider: similar, sex-specific sensory equipment and evidence for olfaction.
🧪🕷
Reposted by Noah Leith
Great new paper by the amazing @noahleith.bsky.social and his colleagues! 🌎🧪🦑
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Carryover Effects on Reproduction Can Buffer Against Mortality‐Driven Population Declines at Elevated Developmental Temperatures
We show that hotter juvenile temperatures can increase adult fertility in an emerging model insect system. These reproductive benefits may be crucial for insect populations to avoid extinction during....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Great new paper by the amazing @noahleith.bsky.social and his colleagues! 🌎🧪🦑
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Noah Leith
“The prohibited activities would include joint research, co-authorship on papers, and advising a foreign graduate student or postdoctoral fellow. The language is retroactive, meaning any interactions during the previous 5 years could make a scientist ineligible for future federal funding.”
U.S. Congress considers sweeping ban on Chinese collaborations
Researchers speak out against proposal that would bar funding for U.S. scientists working with Chinese partners or training Chinese students
www.science.org
November 14, 2025 at 1:03 AM
“The prohibited activities would include joint research, co-authorship on papers, and advising a foreign graduate student or postdoctoral fellow. The language is retroactive, meaning any interactions during the previous 5 years could make a scientist ineligible for future federal funding.”
Finally, we found evidence that carryover effects on reproduction are mediated by sex-specific developmental plasticity in genital morphology. This plasticity affected selection on adult genitalia in the form of assortative mating by juvenile temperature, with cool implications for evolution!
November 14, 2025 at 5:44 AM
Finally, we found evidence that carryover effects on reproduction are mediated by sex-specific developmental plasticity in genital morphology. This plasticity affected selection on adult genitalia in the form of assortative mating by juvenile temperature, with cool implications for evolution!
We simulated population dynamics based on these effects of temperature at multiple life stages and on multiple fitness components. They showed that the thermal sensitivity of reproduction can offset the thermal sensitivity of survival. This indicates multiple paths to resilience in warming climates
November 14, 2025 at 5:44 AM
We simulated population dynamics based on these effects of temperature at multiple life stages and on multiple fitness components. They showed that the thermal sensitivity of reproduction can offset the thermal sensitivity of survival. This indicates multiple paths to resilience in warming climates
Stress early in life can carry-over to affect adult fitness, but how “carryover effects” shape resilience to climate change is poorly understood. We combined years of experiments in #treehoppers showing that even though hotter temps are more lethal for juveniles, they're better for adult fertility
November 14, 2025 at 5:44 AM
Stress early in life can carry-over to affect adult fitness, but how “carryover effects” shape resilience to climate change is poorly understood. We combined years of experiments in #treehoppers showing that even though hotter temps are more lethal for juveniles, they're better for adult fertility
New paper with @kfowlerfinn.bsky.social and team in Ecology Letters!
Hotter developmental temperatures reduce survival in juvenile insects, but also enhance adult fertility enough to potentially avoid population declines in warming climates
doi.org/10.1111/ele....
#evosky #ecology #climatechange
Hotter developmental temperatures reduce survival in juvenile insects, but also enhance adult fertility enough to potentially avoid population declines in warming climates
doi.org/10.1111/ele....
#evosky #ecology #climatechange
Carryover Effects on Reproduction Can Buffer Against Mortality‐Driven Population Declines at Elevated Developmental Temperatures
We show that hotter juvenile temperatures can increase adult fertility in an emerging model insect system. These reproductive benefits may be crucial for insect populations to avoid extinction during...
doi.org
November 14, 2025 at 5:44 AM
New paper with @kfowlerfinn.bsky.social and team in Ecology Letters!
Hotter developmental temperatures reduce survival in juvenile insects, but also enhance adult fertility enough to potentially avoid population declines in warming climates
doi.org/10.1111/ele....
#evosky #ecology #climatechange
Hotter developmental temperatures reduce survival in juvenile insects, but also enhance adult fertility enough to potentially avoid population declines in warming climates
doi.org/10.1111/ele....
#evosky #ecology #climatechange
Reposted by Noah Leith
Thrilled to share this paper that started as a summer research project and ended as a co-first author pub with amazing undergrad mentee Naomi 🪰
#evosky 🧪
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author...
#evosky 🧪
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author...
November 12, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Thrilled to share this paper that started as a summer research project and ended as a co-first author pub with amazing undergrad mentee Naomi 🪰
#evosky 🧪
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author...
#evosky 🧪
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author...
Reposted by Noah Leith
Here's my latest contribution to the "Lost Science" series at the New York Times: Jay Falk, a scientist who studies why some female hummingbirds look just like males. Gift link: nyti.ms/4qF7Qje
October 30, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Here's my latest contribution to the "Lost Science" series at the New York Times: Jay Falk, a scientist who studies why some female hummingbirds look just like males. Gift link: nyti.ms/4qF7Qje
Reposted by Noah Leith
Pumped to share our work on bird behavior and the 2024 Eclipse, in today's @science.org. 100k bird vocalizations + 10k continent-wide observations from the public = really fun collab led by Liz Aguilar, with @juncowren.bsky.social @mathcancer.bsky.social @imillercrews.bsky.social #NSF
October 9, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Pumped to share our work on bird behavior and the 2024 Eclipse, in today's @science.org. 100k bird vocalizations + 10k continent-wide observations from the public = really fun collab led by Liz Aguilar, with @juncowren.bsky.social @mathcancer.bsky.social @imillercrews.bsky.social #NSF
Reposted by Noah Leith
It seems the GRFP solicitation is FINALLY released (like 5 minutes ago)! Due dates have also been pushed back, thankfully! 🧪 🔭
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
www.nsf.gov
September 26, 2025 at 3:46 PM
It seems the GRFP solicitation is FINALLY released (like 5 minutes ago)! Due dates have also been pushed back, thankfully! 🧪 🔭
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Reposted by Noah Leith
Why do males and females often differ in traits?
The expected answer: selection.
But our new paper in GENETICS shows that genetic drift alone can generate sexual dimorphism — even when male & female optima are the same
The expected answer: selection.
But our new paper in GENETICS shows that genetic drift alone can generate sexual dimorphism — even when male & female optima are the same
August 23, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Why do males and females often differ in traits?
The expected answer: selection.
But our new paper in GENETICS shows that genetic drift alone can generate sexual dimorphism — even when male & female optima are the same
The expected answer: selection.
But our new paper in GENETICS shows that genetic drift alone can generate sexual dimorphism — even when male & female optima are the same
Reposted by Noah Leith
🚨 New paper in ICB! 🚨
We demonstrate that sexually selected traits like horns and claws aren’t just about mating success: these structures can also shape thermal biology. 🦀🪲🌡️
doi.org/10.1093/icb/...
@tattersallg.bsky.social @avpalaoro.bsky.social @sicbjournals.bsky.social
We demonstrate that sexually selected traits like horns and claws aren’t just about mating success: these structures can also shape thermal biology. 🦀🪲🌡️
doi.org/10.1093/icb/...
@tattersallg.bsky.social @avpalaoro.bsky.social @sicbjournals.bsky.social
Exaggeration Through Sexual Selection May Impact the Thermal Biology of Arthropods
Synopsis. Sexual selection is often invoked to explain the evolution of extravagant morphologies, such as antlers and horns. While the focus is typically o
doi.org
September 15, 2025 at 9:36 PM
🚨 New paper in ICB! 🚨
We demonstrate that sexually selected traits like horns and claws aren’t just about mating success: these structures can also shape thermal biology. 🦀🪲🌡️
doi.org/10.1093/icb/...
@tattersallg.bsky.social @avpalaoro.bsky.social @sicbjournals.bsky.social
We demonstrate that sexually selected traits like horns and claws aren’t just about mating success: these structures can also shape thermal biology. 🦀🪲🌡️
doi.org/10.1093/icb/...
@tattersallg.bsky.social @avpalaoro.bsky.social @sicbjournals.bsky.social
Reposted by Noah Leith
New paper! PhD student Julie Rej found that invasive brown anoles are more aggressive than native green anoles across a wide range of temperatures. The difference is greatest when it's hottest, ie, heat amplifies the aggression of an invasive species!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
High temperatures amplify aggressiveness of an invasive lizard toward a native congener
Invasive species cause major disturbances to endemic wildlife and often displace native species. Behavioral aggression can contribute to invasive spec…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 11, 2025 at 3:29 PM
New paper! PhD student Julie Rej found that invasive brown anoles are more aggressive than native green anoles across a wide range of temperatures. The difference is greatest when it's hottest, ie, heat amplifies the aggression of an invasive species!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Noah Leith
new paper from my lab @cudenverclas.bsky.social in @natclimate.nature.com, led by @sarahnalley.bsky.social!
Dragonflies with dark mating ornaments on their wings are disappearing from parts of the United States that have had more warming and wildfire over the last 40 years 🧪🌍🐙
rdcu.be/eFm7e
Dragonflies with dark mating ornaments on their wings are disappearing from parts of the United States that have had more warming and wildfire over the last 40 years 🧪🌍🐙
rdcu.be/eFm7e
Showy dragonflies are being driven extinct by warming and wildfire
Nature Climate Change - The authors use 1,603 estimates of local extinctions from 1980 to 2021 to show that dragonfly species with wing ornamentation have disproportionately gone extinct and lost...
rdcu.be
September 10, 2025 at 11:51 AM
new paper from my lab @cudenverclas.bsky.social in @natclimate.nature.com, led by @sarahnalley.bsky.social!
Dragonflies with dark mating ornaments on their wings are disappearing from parts of the United States that have had more warming and wildfire over the last 40 years 🧪🌍🐙
rdcu.be/eFm7e
Dragonflies with dark mating ornaments on their wings are disappearing from parts of the United States that have had more warming and wildfire over the last 40 years 🧪🌍🐙
rdcu.be/eFm7e
Reposted by Noah Leith
Spent hours being spellbound by Convolvulus Hawk Moths last night as they nectared on Nicotiana plants in my highland garden!. Up to 3 feeding at a time, their entire abdomens glowing red hot in the thermal from flight muscle use!! #teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
September 8, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Spent hours being spellbound by Convolvulus Hawk Moths last night as they nectared on Nicotiana plants in my highland garden!. Up to 3 feeding at a time, their entire abdomens glowing red hot in the thermal from flight muscle use!! #teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Reposted by Noah Leith
🦠 New Research - The gut microbiome shapes latitudinal differences in host immunity and pathogen load in a damselfly ➡️ buff.ly/0f99mq4
September 1, 2025 at 11:02 AM
🦠 New Research - The gut microbiome shapes latitudinal differences in host immunity and pathogen load in a damselfly ➡️ buff.ly/0f99mq4