Editor-in-Chief for Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
(published by Springer, Heidelberg)
retired professor of Animal Ecology, University of Bonn
NEWS
2025 marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of Sociobiology: the New Synthesis by E.O. Wilson. Since Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology incorporated the name of the then-new discipline in the title of the journal in 1976. The journal has been a main source for disseminating sociobiological research; James Traniello and I have prepared editorials commemorating the semicentennial of this transformational tome. In these editorials, James and I, and Associate Editors, are sharing our perspectives on the impact of Sociobiology for their work and for the diversification of the study of the evolution, ecology, and mechanisms of social behavior.
Starting with the February issue, BES has a new cover image.
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Agonistic interaction between two male adult brown bears at Cabarceno Nature Park, Spain. The dominant bear (right) walks ahead while the subordinate, with frontal body orientation, backs up. Defensive positioning (backward orientation) of the subordinate's ears contrasts with the dominant's erect ears. The subordinate's open mouth and long, low defensive sounds, indicate distress rather than a threat. The dominant's body position (slight head and body tilting and lowering the hindquarters while elevating the paw) is a threat posture, which would enable a quick physical attack.
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Manrique-Revuelta P, Álvarez M, López-Urueña E et al (2026) Analysis of inconsistencies for the study of dominance: assessing influence of some biological traits on hierarchy in male brown bears. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 80:11
Photo credit: P. Manrique-Revuelta
Redder stickleback males produced male-biased offspring sex-ratio. Check out our latest publication in Evolutionary Ecology.
50 years Wilson's Sociobiology