A5013080307- Avian ecology and behavior
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Plant and animal studies
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
San Diego State University
2021-2024
University of New Mexico
2022-2024
Norte Maar
2023
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
2023
Occidental College
2019
Abstract We assessed correlations between speciation rate and bill morphology in an ecologically diverse continental-scale songbird radiation, the tanagers (Thraupidae). Our analyses showed that size, shape, their evolutionary rates are not correlated with rate. However, we did find evidence each axis of variation diversifies at events interspersed periods gradual evolution, consistent a punctuated equilibrium model character change. To determine correlations, incorporated time-calibrated...
Abstract Ecological opportunity is hypothesized to cause an early burst of species diversification and trait evolution followed by a slowdown in rates as niches are filled. Nonetheless, few studies have tested these predictions empirically with ecomorphological data at the large spatial scales relevant most biodiversity. Tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae), largest family songbirds, show provide excellent test one hallmarks adaptive radiation: rapid evolution. Here, we for early-burst...
White‐eyes are an iconic avian radiation of small passerines that mainly distributed across the eastern hemisphere tropics and subtropics. Species diversity white‐eyes is particularly high on oceanic islands, many species restricted to single islands or island groups. The rate diversification ranks them among fastest radiations known in birds, but whether their accelerated was result repeatedly colonizing remains unexplored. We used a newly estimated timetree for nearly all zosteropids...
Hybrid zones are geographic regions where genetically distinct taxa interbreed, resulting in offspring of mixed ancestry. California Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma californica) and Woodhouse's (A. woodhouseii) come into secondary contact hybridize western Nevada. Although previous work investigated divergence gene flow between these species using a handful microsatellite markers, the hybrid zone has not been studied genome-scale providing an opportunity to assess genome-wide introgression, test for...
Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) threaten human wildlife health, but their movement through food webs remains poorly understood. Contamination of the physical environment is widespread, particularly concentrated at military installations. Here we measured 17 PFAS in wild, free-living mammals migratory birds Holloman Air Force Base (AFB), New Mexico, USA, where wastewater catchment lakes form biodiverse oases. concentrations were among highest ever reported animal tissues,...