A5081706469- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
- Vestibular and auditory disorders
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Marine animal studies overview
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Retinal Development and Disorders
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Animal Nutrition and Physiology
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Hemispheric Asymmetry in Neuroscience
- Plant and animal studies
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
- Livestock and Poultry Management
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
University of Lethbridge
2016-2025
University of Alberta
2005-2022
University of Maryland, College Park
2017
National Museum of Natural History
2004-2013
Smithsonian Institution
2004-2013
Midwestern University
2010
Monash University
2001-2004
Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute
2001
Abstract Aim As urban landscapes expand, shifts in biodiversity are occurring. This is leading biogeographers and ecologists to consider human‐dominated their current work. One question that arises is: what characterizes those species widespread the most highly environments compared with restricted less urbanized areas city? Here, we aim identify traits enable become exploiters, i.e. dominate surroundings. Identifying these may help us better predict possibly mitigate biotic homogenization...
An in-depth look at mammalian brain size evolution prompts a reevaluation of traditional paradigm.
Endocranial volumes of vertebrate skulls and brain masses are often used interchangeably in comparative analyses size. We test whether endocranial volume can be as a reliable estimate size birds by comparing with across 82 species using absolute values respect to body The results paired tests all within two orders, Passeriformes Psittaciformes, did not yield significant difference between the measures. These were supported correlational that showed positive relationship mass. Unpaired...
The macaques are the most geographically widespread and behaviourally diverse primate genus. Many of diversified features social behaviour organization in this genus have been attributed to socio‐ecological differences. However, some core aspects appear be highly conservative, suggesting a high degree phylogenetic inertia. A recently derived classification macaque organization, as well large range physical traits, were analysed for 16 species ascertain role phylogeny explaining distribution...
The possible relationships between relative brain size and developmental mode five measures of the length development period were tested across over 1400 species birds. Using both conventional statistics phylogenetically based comparative methods, significant differences in detected among modes development. Across all species, there each following traits: incubation period, age fledging, duration postfledging parental care, total care. In contrast, first flight was not significantly...
Multivariate analyses of brain composition in mammals, amphibians and fish have revealed the evolution ‘cerebrotypes’ that reflect specific niches and/or clades. Here, we present first demonstration similar cerebrotypes birds. Using principal component analysis hierarchical clustering methods to analyze a data set 67 species, demonstrate five main can be recognized. One type is dominated by galliforms pigeons, among other all share relatively large brainstems, but further differentiated...
Abstract Environmental variability has long been postulated as a major selective force in the evolution of large brains. However, assembling evidence for this hypothesis proved difficult. Here, by combining brain size information over 1,200 bird species with remote-sensing analyses to estimate temporal variation ecosystem productivity, we show that larger brains (relative body size) are more likely occur exposed environmental throughout their geographic range. Our reconstructions...
The relative size of olfactory bulbs (OBs) is correlated with capabilities across vertebrates and widely used to assess the importance olfaction a species' ecology. In birds, variations in OBs are some behaviors; however, factors that have led high level diversity seen OB sizes birds still not well understood. this study, we use as neuroanatomical proxy for 135 species representing 21 orders. We examine scaling brain avian orders, determine likely ancestral states test correlations between...
Theory and evidence suggest that some selective pressures are more common on islands than in adjacent mainland habitats, leading evolution to follow predictable trends. The existence of evolutionary trends has nonetheless been difficult demonstrate, mainly because the challenge separating situ from sorting processes derived colonization events. Here we use brain size measurements >1900 avian species reveal one such trend: increased island dwellers. Based sister-taxa comparisons phylogenetic...
Despite significant progress in understanding the evolution of mammalian brain, relatively little is known patterns evolutionary change avian brain. In particular, statements regarding which taxa have larger brains and brain regions are based on small sample sizes statistical analyses generally lacking. We tested whether psittaciforms (parrots, cockatoos lorikeets) forebrains than other birds using both conventional phylogenetically methods. addition, we compared to primates determine if...
Extinct animal behavior has often been inferred from qualitative assessments of relative brain region size in fossil endocranial casts. For instance, flight capability pterosaurs and early birds the cerebellar flocculus, which life protrudes lateral surface cerebellum. A primary role flocculus is to integrate sensory information about head rotation translation stabilize visual gaze via vestibulo-occular reflex (VOR). Because stabilization a critical aspect flight, some authors have suggested...
Despite important recent progress in our understanding of brain evolution, controversy remains regarding the evolutionary forces that have driven its enormous diversification size. Here, we report passerine birds, migratory species tend to brains are substantially smaller (relative body size) than those resident species, confirming and generalizing previous studies. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on Bayesian Markov chain methods suggest an scenario which some large brained tropical...
The eyes of vertebrates show adaptations to the visual environments in which they evolve. For example, eye shape is associated with activity pattern, while retinal topography related symmetry or ‘openness’ habitat a species. Although these relationships are well documented many including birds, extent hold true for species within same avian order not understood. Owls (Strigiformes) represent an ideal group study interspecific variation system because one very few orders contain that vary...
Abstract Reduced play experience over the juvenile period leads to adults with impoverished social skills and anatomical physiological aberrations of neurons found in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Even rearing rats from high‐playing strains low‐playing show these developmental consequences. In present study, we evaluated whether benefit being reared higher playing peers. To test this, male Fischer 344 (F344), typically thought be a strain, Long–Evans (LE) peer, relatively strain. As...
Abstract Comparative analyses were conducted on a data set derived from the literature so as to test several hypotheses which developed explain distribution of adult–adult play fighting within order primates. Ratings for occurring in sexual and non‐sexual contexts developed. Three evaluated: (i) that social is byproduct its use sex; (ii) occurrence related assessment manipulation, more likely be present species with reduced familiarity between individuals; (iii) phylogenetic affiliation...
Diversity in vertebrate brain size and composition is thought to arise from either developmental constraints that cause coordinated changes between regions or a mosaic model, whereby individual are independent of other regions. These two mechanisms were tested birds using multiple regression analyses. Across 13 orders, significant correlations present some regions, but not all. Most the correlated reflect connectivity different components, such with most interconnections one another Whether...
Three families of probe-foraging birds, Scolopacidae (sandpipers and snipes), Apterygidae (kiwi), Threskiornithidae (ibises, including spoonbills) have independently evolved long, narrow bills containing clusters vibration-sensitive mechanoreceptors (Herbst corpuscles) within pits in the bill-tip. These 'bill-tip organs' allow birds to detect buried or submerged prey via substrate-borne vibrations and/or interstitial pressure gradients. Shorebirds, kiwi ibises are only distantly related,...
Vultures are highly reliant on their sensory systems for the rapid detection and localization of carrion before other scavengers can exploit resource. In this study, we compared eye morphology retinal topography in two species New World vultures (Cathartidae), turkey (Cathartes aura), with a developed olfactory sense, black (Coragyps atratus), less sense olfaction. We found that size relative to body mass was same both species, but have larger corneas than vultures. However, overall...