Wildlife Hormones and Behavioral Ecology
Alaman, A., Ridley, A., Nelson-Flower, M., Koren, L. & Keynan, O. 2026. Coping with change: Interactive effects of anthropogenic change influence the breeding success and survival of a desert-dwelling cooperative breeder. Functional Ecology
Brotier, H., Alba-Gonzalez, P., Kannan, P., Geffen, E., Ilany, A. & Koren, L. 2026. Developing objective tools to study rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) behaviour in the field. PLoS One 21(2): e0343302.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0343302
Raz, T., Warick, H.A., Asulin-Schnaiderman, S., Shidlovsky, N., Weizmann, N. & Koren, L. 2026. In vivo semen characterization and seasonal variation in Procavia capensis. Reproduction and Fertility 7: RAF250132
DOI: 10.1530/RAF-25-0132
Albery, G.F., Becker, D.J., Firth, J., … Koren, L.,…. Bansal, S. 2025. Density-dependent network structuring within and across wild animal systems. Nature Ecology and Evolution
DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.28.601262
Demartsev, V., Geva, Y., Alba Gonzalez, P., Koren, L., Ilany, A. & Geffen, E. 2025. Alerting components in animal vocalization. Animal Behaviour 230: 123373.
DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2025.123373
Mortlock, E., English, H., Borger, L., Matas, D., Koren, L., Capellini, I. & Jennings, D. 2025. Drivers of individual differences in the sleep behaviour of fallow deer neonates. Journal of Animal Ecology 94: 449 - 461.
DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14247
(Open Article)
Amin, B., Fishman, R., Quinn, M., Matas, D., Palme, R., Koren, L. & Ciuti, S. 2024. Sex-specific relationship between maternal and neonate cortisol in a free-ranging large mammal. Peer Community Journal Ecology 4: e57. DOI: 10.24072/pcjournal.431
(Open Article)
Yael, A., Fishman, R., Matas, D., Doniger, T., Vortman, Y. & Koren, L. 2024. Fetal endocrine axes mRNA expression levels are related to sex and intrauterine position. Biology of Sex Differences 15: 61.
DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00637-9
Dory, E.K., Gueta, A., Loterstein, Y., Moshe, L., Matas, D., Koren, L. & Weller, A. 2024. Intergenerational transfer of binge eating-like behavior: The additive impact of juvenile stress. Appetite 203: 107713.
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107713
(Open Article)
Fishman, R., Kralj-Fišer, S., Margalit, S., Koren, L*. & Vortman, Y*. 2024. Quantitative genetics reveals sex-specific genetic architecture for fetal testosterone in a wild mammal. Hormones & Behaviour 161: 105525.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105525 (*equal contribution)
Alaman, A., Casas-Mas, E., Arbelo, M., Keynan, O. & Koren, L. 2024. Living fast, dying young: Anthropogenic habitat modification influences the fitness and life history traits of a cooperative breeder.
Ecology Letters 27: e14434. DOI: 10.1111/ele.14434
Fishman, R., Koren, L., Ben-Shlomo, R., Shanas, U. & Vortman, Y. 2023. Paternity share predicts sons’ fetal testosterone. Scientific Reports 13(1):16737. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42718-6
Goll, Y., Bordes, C., Weissman, Y., Shnitzer, I., Beukboom, R., Ilany, A., Koren, L.* & Geffen, E. * 2023. The interaction between cortisol and testosterone predicts leadership within rock hyrax social groups (*equal contribution). Scientific Reports 13(1):14857. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41958-w
Sarid, S., Naor, H., Asfur, M., Khokhlova, I.S., Krasnov, B.R., Kotler, B.P. Degen, A.A., Kam, M. & Koren, L. 2023. Free-living gerbils with higher testosterone take fewer risks. Physiology & Behavior (IF: 3.742; Q1, ranked 4/17 in Psychology, Biological). 269: 114277. DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114277
Bordes, C., Beukboom, R., Goll, Y., Koren, L. & Ilany, A. 2022. High-resolution tracking of social interactions highlights nighttime drivers of animal sociality. Communications Biology 5: 1378. DOI: 10.103 10.1038/s42003-022-04317-5
Hemelrijk, C.K., Seex, L., Pederboni, M., Ilany, A., Geffen, E. & Koren, L. 2022. Adult sex ratios and partial dominance of females over males in the rock hyrax. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1004919
Demartsev, V., Haddas-Sasson, M., Ilany, A., Koren, L*., Geffen, E*. 2022. Male rock hyraxes that maintain an isochronous song rhythm achieve higher reproductive success. Journal of Animal Ecology . DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13801
Frydman, G., Goll, Y., Geffen, E. & Koren, L., 2022. Sex differences in frequency presence in a species with modest sexual dimorphism 1-11. Bioacoustics DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2022.2105954
Kappeler, P.M., Huchard, E., Baniel, A., Canteloupe, C., Charpentier, M., Cheng, L., Davidian, E., Dubosq, J., Fichtel, C., Hemelrijk, C.K., Honer, O.P., Koren, L., Micheletta, G., Prox, L., Sacca, T., Seex, L., Smit, N., Surbeck, M., van de Waal, E. & Girard-Buttoz, C. 2022. Sex and dominance: How to assess and interpret intersexual dominance relationships in mammalian societies. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.
Yirmiya, K., Motsan, S., Zagoory-Sharon, O., Schonblum, A., Koren, L. & Feldman, R. 2022. Continuity of psychopathology versus resilience across the transition to adolescence; Role of hair cortisol and sensitive caregiving. Psychological Medicine 1-12. DOI:10.1017/S0033291722001350
Cohen, Z.Z., Gotlieb, N., Erez, O., Wiznitzer, A., Arbel, O., Matas, D., Koren, L. & Henik, A. 2022. Attentional networks during the menstrual cycle. Behavioural Brain Research volume 425: 113817. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113817
Goll, Y., Bordes, C., Weissman, Y.A., Shnitzer, I., Beukboom, R., Ilany, A., Koren, L.& Geffen, E. 2022. Sex-associated and context-dependent leadership in the rock hyrax. iScience Volume 25, Issue 4 25:104063. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104063
Levhar, M., Schonblum, A., Arnon, L., Michael, Y., Salzer Sheelo, L., Eisner, M., Hadar, E., Meizner, I., Wiznitzer, A., Weller, A., Koren, L. & Agay-Shay, K. 2021. Residential greenness and hair cortisol levels during the first trimester of pregnancy. Environmental Research 204(D):112378. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112378
Frydman, G., Geffen, E. & Koren, L. 2021. Social status and social network in a captive rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) group. Afrotherian Conservation 17: 6-8.
Davidson, A., Malkinson, D., Schonblum, A., Koren, L. & Shanas, U. 2021. Do boars compensate for hunting with higher reproductive hormones? Conservation Physiology 9(1): coab068. DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab068
Amin, B., Jennings, D.J., Smith, A.F., Quinn, M., Chari, S., Haigh, A., Matas, D., Koren, L. & Ciuti, S. 2021. In utero accumulated steroids predict neonate anti‐predator response in a wild mammal. Functional Ecology 35(6): 1197-1378. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13790
Sargunaraj, F., St. Juliana, J.R., Khokhlova, I.S., Dlugosz, E.M., Matas, D., Koren, L, Wynne-Edwards, K.E. & Kotler, B.P. 2021. Positive association between cage-measures of GUD (giving-up density) and experimental cortisol increases in wild-caught gerbils. Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution 67: 3-4. DOI: 10.1163/22244662-bja10014
Alon, T., Matas, D., Koren, L.* & Gootwine, E.* 2021. Higher Cortisol and testosterone levels in the plasma and wool of sheep with different litter sizes. Livestock Science 243:104381. DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2020.104381 (*equal contribution).
Chavan, A.R., Griffith, O.W., Stadtmauer, D., Maziarz, J., Pavlicev, M., Fishman, R., Koren, L., Romero, R. & Wagner, G.P. 2020. Evolution of embryo implantation was enabled by the origin of decidual stromal cells in eutherian mammals. Molecular Biology and Evolution. 38: 1060-1074. DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa274
Weissman, Y., Demartsev, V., Ilany, A., Barocas, A., Bar-Ziv, E., Koren, L. * & Geffen, E.* 2020. A crescendo in the inner structure of snorts: A reflection of increasing arousal in rock hyrax songs? Animal Behaviour 166: 163-170.
DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.06.010 (*equal contribution).
Matas, D., Doniger, T., Sarid, S., Asfur, M., Yadid, G., Khokhlova, I.S., Krasnov, B.R., Kam, M., Degen, A.A., Koren, L. 2020. Sex differences in testosterone reactivity and sensitivity in a non-model gerbil. General and Comparative Endocrinology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113418
Morgan, L., Itin-Shwartz, B., Koren, L., Meyer, J., Matas, D., Younis, A., Novak, S., Weizmann, N., Rapaic, O., Abu Ahmad, W., Klement, E. & Raz, T. 2019. Physiological and economic benefit of abandoning invasive surgical procedures and enhancing animal welfare in swine production. Scientific Reports 9:16093. DOI:10.1038/s41598-019-52677-6
Koren, L., Weissman, Y., Shnitzer, I., Beukboom, R., Bar Ziv, E., Demartsev, V., Barocas, A., Ilany, A. & Geffen, E. 2019. Testosterone is associated with male and female copulation success in opposite ways in wild rock hyrax. Behavioral Ecology 30(6): 1611-1617. DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz125
Demartsev, V., Kershenbaum, A., Ilany, A., Barocas, A., Weisman, Y., Koren, L. & Geffen, E. 2019. Lifetime changes in syntactic complexity of rock hyrax songs are determined by social class differences. Animal Behaviour 153: 151-158. DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.05.011
Fishman, R., Vortman, Y., Shanas, U. & Koren, L. 2019. Non-model species deliver non-model results: Nutria female fetuses neighboring males in utero have lower testosterone. Hormones and Behavior 111: 105-109. DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.02.011
Koren, L., Bryan, H., Matas, D., Tinman, S., Fahlman, A., Whiteside, D., Smits, J. & Wynne-Edwards, K.E. 2019. Towards the validation of endogenous steroid testing in wildlife hair. Journal of Applied Ecology 56: 547-561. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13306
Weissman Y., Demartsev, V., Ilany, A., Barocas, A., Bar Ziv, E., Shnitzer, I., Geffen, E. & Koren, L. 2019. Acoustic stability in hyrax snorts: vocal tightrope-walkers or wrathful verbal assailants? Behavioral Ecology 30(1): 223-230. DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary141
Schonblum, A., Arnon, L., Salzer, L., Hadar, E., Meizner, I., Wiznitzer, A., Weller, A. & Koren, L. 2018. Can hair steroids predict pregnancy longevity? Reproductive Biology 18: 410-415. DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2018.09.004.
Koren, L., Matas, D., Pečnerová, P., Dalén, L., Tikhonov, A., Gilbert, T.P.M., Wynne-Edwards, K.E. & Geffen, E. 2018. Testosterone in ancient hair from an extinct species. Paleontology 61(6): 797-802. DOI: 10.1111/pala.12391
Ravid, E., Salzer, L., Arnon, L., Eisner, M., Wiznitzer, A., Weller, A., Koren, L. & Hadar, E. 2018. Is there an association between maternal anxiety propensity and pregnancy outcome? BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 18: 287. DOI: 10.1186/s12884-018-1925-8
Matas, D. & Koren, L. 2017. Age-related testosterone declines can be detected in men’s fingernails. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. DOI: 10.1139/cjpp-2017-0193
Halevi, G., Djalovski, A., Maymon, Y.K., Yirmiya, L., Zagoory-Sharon, O., Koren, L. & Feldman, R. 2017. The social transmission of risk: maternal stress physiology, synchronous parenting, and well-being mediate the effects of war exposure on child psychopathology. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 126(8): 1087-1103. DOI: 10.1037/abn0000307
Goll, Y., Demartsev, V., Koren, L. & Geffen, E. 2017. Male hyraxes increase countersinging as strangers become ‘nasty neighbours’. Animal Behaviour 134: 9-14. DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.10.002
Koren, L. & Gordon, I. 2017. Beyond the social stereotype of hormones. Psychoneuroendocrinology 84: 207-209. DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.06.007. Invited Letter to the Editor.
Demartsev, V., Ilany, A., Kershenbaum, A., Geva, Y., Margalit, O., Shnitser, I., Barocas, A., Bar-Ziv, E., Koren, L. & Geffen, E. 2017. The progression pattern of male hyrax songs and the role of climactic ending. Scientific Reports 7: 2794. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03035-x
Demartsev, V., Ilany, A., Barocas, A., Bar Ziv, E., Shnitser, I., Koren, L. & Geffen, E. 2016. A mixed strategy of counter-singing behaviour in male rock hyrax vocal competitions. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2222-z
Matas, D., Keren-Rotem, T., & Koren, L. 2016. A method to determine integrated steroid levels in wildlife claws. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 230-231: 26-28. DOI:10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.03.020.
Koresh, E., Matas, D.& Koren, L. 2016. Exploring silastic tube implants for experimental testosterone elevation in wildlife. Research in Veterinary Medicine, 108: 1-7. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2016.07.005
Warburton, E.M., Kam, M., Bar-Shira, E., Friedman, A, Khokhlova, I.S., Koren, L., Asfur, M., Geffen, E., Kiefer, D., Krasnov, B.R. & Degen, A., 2016. The effect of parasite pressure on host behavioral defence and parasite reproductive output in a rodent-flea system. Parasitology Research, 115: 3337-3344. DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5093-3
Arnon, L., Hazuta, N., Tabachnika, T., Weller, A. & Koren, L. 2016. Maternal testosterone and reproductive outcome in a rat model of obesity. Theriogenology, 86: 1042-1047. DOI:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.03.033
Demartsev, V., Bar-Ziv, E., Shani, U., Goll, Y., Koren, L. & Geffen, E. 2016. Harsh vocal elements affect counter-singing dynamics in male rock hyrax. Behavioral Ecology, 27(5): 1397-1404. DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw063
Bryan, H.M., Smits, J.E.G., Koren, L., Paquet, P.C., Wynne-Edwards, K.E., & Musiani, M. 2015. Heavily hunted wolves have higher stress and
reproductive steroids than wolves with lower hunting pressure. Functional Ecology, 29 (3): 347-356. DOI:10.1111/1365-2435.12354.
Demartsev, V., Kershenbaum, A., Ilany, A., Barocas, A., Bar Ziv, E., Koren, L. & Geffen, E. 2014. Male hyraxes increase song complexity and duration in the presence of alert individuals. Behavioral Ecology, 25 (6): 1451-1458. DOI:10.1093/beheco/aru155.
Ilany, A., Barocas, A., Koren, L., Kam, M. & Geffen, E. 2013. Structural balance in the social networks of a wild mammal. Animal Behaviour, 85: 1397-1405. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.03.032
Koren, L., Whiteside, D., Fahlman, Å., Ruckstuhl, R., Kutz, S., Checkley, S., Dumond, M., & Wynne-Edwards, K.E. 2012. Cortisol and corticosterone independence in cortisol-dominant wildlife. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 177: 113-119. DOI:10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.02.020
Koren, L., Ng, E.S.M., Soma, K.K. & Wynne-Edwards, K.E. 2012. Sample preparation and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for multiple steroids in mammalian and avian circulation. PLoS ONE. 7(2): e32496. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032496.
Koren, L., Nakagawa, S., Burke, T., Soma, K.K., Wynne-Edwards, K.E. & Geffen, E. 2012. Feather concentrations of testosterone, corticosterone, and cortisol are associated with over-winter survival in wild house sparrows. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B., 279: 1560-1566. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.2062.
Ilany, A., Barocas, A., Koren, L., Kam, M. & Geffen, E. 2011. Do singing rock hyraxes exploit conspecific calls to gain attention? PLoS ONE. 6(12): e28612. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028612.
Barocas, A., Ilany, A., Koren, L., Kam, M. & Geffen, E. 2011. Variance in centrality within rock hyrax social network predicts adult longevity. PLoS ONE. 6(7): e22375. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022375.
Koren, L. & Geffen, E. 2011. The interaction between social status, vocalization and endocrinology in the rock hyrax: an overview of current knowledge. Afrotherian Conservation, 8: 1-4.
Koren, L. & Geffen, E. 2011. Individual identity is communicated through multiple pathways in male rock hyrax (Procavia capensis) songs. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 65: 675-684. DOI:10.1007/s00265-010-1069-y.
Koren, L. & Geffen, E. 2009. Complex call in male rock hyrax (Procavia capensis): a multi-information distributing channel. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 63: 581-590.
Koren, L. & Geffen, E. 2009. Androgens and social status in female rock hyraxes. Animal Behaviour, 77: 233–238.
Koren, L., Mokady, O. & Geffen, E. 2008. Social status and cortisol levels in singing rock hyraxes. Hormones and Behavior, 54: 212–216.
Koren, L., Mokady, O. & Geffen, E. 2006. Elevated testosterone levels and social ranks in female rock hyrax. Hormones and Behavior, 49: 470–477.
Koren, L., Mokady, O., Karaskov, T., Klein, J., Koren, G. & Geffen, E. 2002. A novel method using hair for determining hormonal levels in wildlife. Animal Behaviour, 63: 403-406.
Fassos, F.F., Berkovitch, M., Daneman, N., Koren, L., Cameron, R., Klein, J., Falcitelli, C., St. Louis, P., Daneman, R. & Koren, G. 1998. The efficacy of diazepam in the treatment of acute iron overload in rats, Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 76: 895-899.
Fassos, F.F., Berkovitch, M., Daneman, N., Koren, L., Cameron, R., Klein, J., Falcitelli, C., Daneman, R., St. Louis, P. & Koren, G. 1996. Efficiency of deferiprone in the treatment of acute iron intoxication in rats, Journal of Clinical Toxicology, 34: 279-287.