A5024373420- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Plant and animal studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Marine animal studies overview
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Study of Mite Species
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
Flinders University
2016-2025
Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research
1997-2025
University of Vienna
2018-2025
Schön Klinik Berchtesgadener Land
2024
Carleton University
2024
Nature Conservancy of Canada
2024
Technical University of Munich
2024
Metropolitan University
2024
BirdLife Australia
2021
Charles Darwin Foundation
2020
How do parents recognize their offspring when the cost of making a recognition error is high? Avian brood parasite-host systems have been used to address this question because high parasitism host fitness. We discovered that superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) females call eggs, and upon hatching, nestlings produce begging calls with key elements from mother's "incubation call." Cross-fostering experiments showed highest similarity between foster mother nestling calls, intermediate genetic...
Species hybridization can lead to fitness costs, species collapse, and novel evolutionary trajectories in changing environments. Hybridization is predicted be more common when environmental conditions change rapidly. Here, we test patterns of three sympatric tree finch (small Camarhynchus parvulus, medium pauper, large finch: psittacula) that are currently recognized on Floreana Island, Galápagos Archipelago. Genetic analysis microsatellite data from contemporary samples showed two genetic...
The fly, Philornis downsi Dodge & Aitken, was first collected in 1964 on the Galápagos Islands and is now widespread across archipelago. Virtually nothing known about behaviour ecology of fly as well for genus general. Here, we describe all larval instars time, discuss infection intensity impacts parasitism nestling survival Darwin's finches. Adult P. are non-parasitic free-living flies, whereas larvae obligate blood-feeding parasites birds. show a marked shift their host site...
AbstractAbstractLittle is known about the genus Philornis (comprising ~50 species), a group of muscid flies that parasitise birds and may be highly detrimental to host nestlings. species affect at least 115 bird, particularly in Neotropics. The main distribution Central South America, extending southern United States. Larvae reside bird nests feed on either nestling faeces (coprophagous scavengers), blood nestlings (semi-haematophagous parasites), or tissue fluid (subcutaneous parasites)....
Darwin's finches are an iconic example of adaptive radiation with well-characterized evolutionary history, dietary preferences, and biogeography, offering unparalleled opportunity to disentangle effects history on host microbiome from other factors like diet habitat. Here, we characterize the gut in finches, comparing nine species that occupy diverse ecological niches Santa Cruz island. The finch phylogeny showed moderate congruence microbiome, which was comprised mostly bacterial phyla...
Abstract The conservation behavior framework is useful to identify key linkages between and practice. We apply this a novel host-parasite system on the Galapagos Islands ask if there have been changes in parasite oviposition host mortality patterns across first decade (2004-2013) of its known association. Dipteran Philornis downsi was discovered Darwin’s finch nests 1997 biggest threat survival land birds. Host has increased over past decade. In Dipterans, pupation pupae size are determined...
Abstract Population monitoring is a vital tool for conservation management and testing hypotheses about population trends in changing environments. Darwin’s finches on Santa Cruz Island the Galápagos archipelago have experienced habitat alteration because of human activity, introduced predators, parasites disease. We used point counts to conduct systematic quantitative surveys other land birds between 1997 2010. The temporal analysis revealed that six nine species investigated declined...
Abstract Parental care should be selected to respond honest cues that increase offspring survival. When are parasitised, the parental food compensation hypothesis predicts parents can provision extra compensate for energy loss due parasitism. Chick begging behaviour is a possible mechanism solicit increased feeding from attending parents. We experimentally manipulated parasite intensity P hilornis downsi in nests of Darwin's small ground finch ( G eospiza fuliginosa ) test its effects on...
Embryos were traditionally considered to possess limited learning abilities because of the immaturity their developing brains. By contrast, neonates from diverse species show behaviours dependent on prior embryonic experience. Stimulus discrimination is a key component and has been shown by handful studies in non-human embryos. Superb fairy-wren embryos ( Malurus cyaneus ) learn vocal password that taught them attending female during incubation. The use learned element as begging call after...
Extra-pair paternity (EPP), where offspring are sired by a male other than the social male, varies enormously both within and among species. Trying to explain this variation has proved difficult because majority of interspecific is phylogenetically based. Ideally, in EPP should be investigated closely related species, but clades with sufficient rare. We present comprehensive multifactorial test individuals 20 populations nine species over 89 years from single bird family (Maluridae). Females...
Natural hybridisation among rare or endangered species and stable congenerics is increasingly topical for the conservation of species-level diversity under anthropogenic impacts. Evidence beneficial genes being introgressed into selected in hybrids raises concurrent questions about its evolutionary significance. In Darwin's tree finches on island Floreana (Galapagos Islands, Ecuador), Critically Endangered medium finch (Camarhynchus pauper) undergoes introgression with small parvulus),...
ABSTRACT Fire disturbance is an integral part of many ecosystems. However, some taxa may not be resilient to the increasing size, intensity, and frequency fire events due climate change. We investigated how terrestrial invertebrate Ordinal‐level community structure abundance six Orders (Acarina, Araneae, Coleoptera, Collembola, Diptera, Hymenoptera: Formicidae) changed following three natural over two decades (2007–2022) in Kangaroo Island mainland South Australia. collected invertebrates...
Abstract: The physiological impacts and fitness costs of parasitism by an introduced ectoparasitic fly, Philornis downsi (Muscidae), were studied in nestlings Darwin's Small Ground Finch, Geospiza fuliginosa (Geospizinae), on the Galápagos Archipelago. Whole blood haemoglobin (Hb) concentration was used to measure host response ectoparasitism due its high repeatability validity, as well for key role aerobic activities that affect fitness, such flight capacity nestling begging intensity....
Abstract Parasites place their hosts under strong selection for adaptive traits that increase parasite resistance. The initial impact of invasive parasites has rarely been observed and can be particularly on naïve with limited prior exposure to parasites. Philornis downsi is an introduced fly the Galapagos Islands whose parasitic larvae cause high mortality in nestlings Darwin's finches. We used a within-nest camera system nest monitoring data examine this new host–parasite interaction wild....
Extreme heat events will become more frequent under anthropogenic climate change, especially in Mediterranean ecosystems. Microhabitats can considerably moderate (buffer) the effects of extreme weather and hence facilitate persistence some components biodiversity. We investigate microclimatic moderation provided by two important microhabitats (cavities formed leaves grass-tree Xanthorrhoea semiplana F.Muell., Xanthorrhoeaceae; inside leaf-litter) during summer 2015/16 on Fleurieu Peninsula...
Songbirds are important models for understanding the mechanisms and fitness consequences of imitative vocal learning. Although effects early-life environmental social conditions on song learning well-established, impact early sound exposure has received surprisingly little attention. Yet recent evidence hints at auditory sensitivity in songbird embryos, including zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), a classic model species Here, we tested whether prenatal to incubation calls-highly rhythmic...
The consequences of hybridization for biodiversity depend on the specific ecological and evolutionary context in which it occurs. Understanding patterns gene flow among hybridizing species is crucial determining trajectories assemblages. recently discovered between two Darwin's tree finches (Camarhynchus parvulus C. pauper) Floreana Island, Galápagos, presents an exciting opportunity to investigate mechanisms causing its potential under conditions recent habitat disturbance introduction...