IAP-25-126

Adapting to the Urban Night: Behavioural and Genomic Responses in Nocturnal Predators

Urbanised landscapes are among the fastest-growing ecosystems on Earth, with urban land cover projected to expand by 1.2 million km² from 2000 to 2030 (1). As natural land is converted to urban infrastructure, habitats change drastically. In particular, artificial light at night and noise pollution can affect the natural rhythmic environment, disrupting biological rhythms, and interfering with sensory perception (2). In the face of these pressures species either become locally extinct, disperse away or are forced to adapt. To date, responses have been primarily studied in diurnal species (3, 4). Recent research on burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia), which are often active during the day, suggests that adaptation to urban environments has occurred through evolutionary changes in genes expressed in neural and brain tissues (5). Similarly, in great tits (Parus major) signatures of selection have been detected in genes related to neural function and development (6). While much of the existing research has focused on diurnal species, nocturnal animals face distinct challenges in urban environments that remain poorly understood. On one hand, top nocturnal predators rely on acoustic hunting and may be forced to forage during quieter periods of the night, for instance by avoiding activity at noisy rush hours, or travel longer distances to find quiet areas to hunt. On the other hand, they might switch between sensory cues and rely more on visual hunting in noisy areas, perhaps even exploiting areas polluted by anthropogenic light to find their prey. Distinguishing between these hypotheses will provide novel and exciting insights into how species may adapt to anthropogenic temporal environments.

We are exploring how nocturnal predators, such as Tawny owls (Strix aluco, Fig. 1), respond and adapt to urban sensory pollutants—particularly light and noise—by studying their behaviour, movement, and genetic adaptations. Tawny owls usually prey by sound, however early results from the project suggest that owls near roads indeed exploit light and switch to visual cues for hunting (8). The question remains as to how tawny owls have been able to adapt in these scenarios and if urban populations of tawny owls across Europe have evolved similar adaptations through convergent evolution. Here, we will combine innovative biotelemetry tools with genomic sequencing to analyse movement ecology, foraging preferences, and genetic and gene regulation changes in urban and rural populations in Scotland, Sweden, and Finland. Individual owls will be tracked around-the-clock, using accelerometers to detail behaviour, GPS to monitor space use, and soundmeters and lightmeters to detail the sensory environments experienced by the birds. We will also collect blood samples for genomic sequencing and assessing gene expression to understand how urban populations have evolved to exploit different sensory habitats. Specifically, this project has three fundamental objectives:

• Objective 1: Moving through urban lightscapes and soundscapes — To examine how sensory pollutants (light and noise) shape foraging behaviour by tagging individual owls with GPS + accelerometer + light sensor tags.
• Objective 2: Genomic signals of adaptation — Investigate differences in protein-coding genes and structural, regulatory, and copy number variation between urban and rural populations.
• Objective 3: Differential gene expression — Assess gene expression profiles to identify urban-specific adaptations.

The study is a partnership between Dr Andreanna Welch from Durham University (evolutionary genomics) and Dr Davide Dominoni at the University of Glasgow (urban ecologist). Moreover, the project has been running for a number of years and other collaborators have been involved. Thus, there will be ample opportunities for the student to expand their research network and to be exposed to a vibrant research environment.

We will explore how tawny owls use their environment in natural and urban settings by employing novel biotelemetry technology in the field. Field data are already largely in hand for urban populations in Scotland and additional field work will be conducted in Sweden and Finland under the supervision of Dr Dominoni and collaborators. Adult owls will be ringed for identification, a blood sample collected, and then they will be fitted with GPS, accelerometer and light logger sensors, produced by project partner Technosmart. Hunting behaviour will be monitored via nest-cameras and diet will be further assessed through examination of pellets. Reproductive success will be recorded by monitoring breeding events in our network of nestboxes. The student will employ flexible statistical models that account for patterns over time and space to examine effects of sensory pollutants on activity levels, home range and characteristics of hunting behaviour. This will allow us to fully characterise the roles of time, space and explanatory variables, permitting projections and interpolations to non-censused areas.

In the lab, we will conduct evolutionary genomics analyses to examine signals of adaptation and the potential for convergent evolution between cities. We will extract high quality DNA from blood samples (approximately 20 samples each in urban and rural habitats, from each of the three countries) and build DNA libraries for whole-genome sequencing. Sequences will be mapped to a reference genome and then powerful bioinformatics approaches will be used to assess gene flow and identify genomic regions exhibiting signals of selection. We will examine if these regions are associated with specific biological functions (such as sensory or cognitive function) more often than expected by chance, and evaluate protein coding DNA sequences to identify any changes influencing the effectiveness of those functions. We will further use sophisticated computational approaches to examine changes in nearby genetic regulatory regions as well as in gene copy number or genome structure. To further examine rapid evolutionary changes, we will extract RNA from blood samples, conduct high-throughput sequencing, and assess signals of differential gene expression between natural and urban habitats.

Year 1

Fieldwork (primarily spring breeding season), attendance at movement data workshop, assembly of movement data, preliminary animal movement models. Lab work for full-genome sequencing, bioinformatics workshop attendance, mapping sequences to a reference genome, and preliminary examination of gene flow and signatures of selection.

Year 2

Additional fieldwork, finalising animal movement models. Further genomic data analysis for biological function, regulatory and structural changes, manuscript preparation. Lab work for RNA sequencing, mapping sequences to the reference genome. Attendance at a National scientific meeting.

Year 3

Further data analysis, including completion of differential gene expression analyses, manuscript preparation, and attendance at an international scientific meeting.

Year 3.5

Finalize manuscripts and submit/defend thesis

This PhD project offers comprehensive training across field ecology, animal behaviour, evolutionary genomics, and data science. Under the guidance of Dr Davide Dominoni (University of Glasgow), you will gain hands-on experience in planning and conducting fieldwork, including ethical handling and tagging of wild animals, and the use of cutting-edge biotelemetry tools to monitor behaviour and movement. You will also develop skills in advanced statistical modelling. Under the guidance of Dr Andreanna Welch (Durham University) you will learn core molecular techniques and cutting-edge genomic and transcriptomic methods. These skills are highly transferable and relevant to careers in ecological and evolutionary research, environmental testing, biotechnology, and medical/veterinary science. Training will also include sophisticated data analysis, bioinformatics, and computer programming (e.g. R, potentially Python), helping you build strong numeracy and analytical skills. Scientific writing, presentation skills, and participation in professional conferences will support your development as an effective communicator.

You will be embedded in a vibrant international research network, gaining valuable collaboration and networking experience. The interdisciplinary nature of the project and the scale of data involved offer excellent opportunities for producing high-impact publications, contributing to both academic and applied careers. Your supervisory team is committed to providing a supportive and engaging environment, with tailored mentorship to help you thrive throughout your PhD and beyond.