A5040164706- Avian ecology and behavior
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
- Marine animal studies overview
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Race, Genetics, and Society
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Conferences and Exhibitions Management
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Biotechnology and Related Fields
- Intellectual Property and Patents
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Climate Change Communication and Perception
- scientometrics and bibliometrics research
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
University of Sheffield
2013-2024
Imperial College London
2024
University of Auckland
2023-2024
Macquarie University
2024
University of Bath
2010-2018
Terry Burke, Mark Blaxter, David Lank and colleagues report a reference genome sequence of the ruff analysis three distinct male morphs this bird species. They identify 'supergene' consisting fixed inversion in two candidate reproductive trait genes region. Three strikingly different alternative mating (aggressive 'independents', semicooperative 'satellites' female-mimic 'faeders') coexist as balanced polymorphism ruff, Philomachus pugnax, lek-breeding wading bird1,2,3. Major differences...
Abstract Lower visibility of female scientists, compared to male is a potential reason for the under‐representation women among senior academic ranks. Visibility in scientific community stems partly from presenting research as an invited speaker at organized meetings. We analysed sex ratio presenters E uropean S ociety volutionary B iology ( ESEB ) C ongress 2011, where all abstract submissions were accepted presentation. Women under‐represented speakers symposia (15% women) (46%), regular...
Adult sex ratio (ASR) is a central concept in population biology and key factor sexual selection, but why do most demographic models ignore biases? Vital rates often vary between the sexes across life history, their relative contributions to ASR variation remain poorly understood-an essential step evaluate theories wild inform conservation. Here, we combine structured two-sex with individual-based mark-recapture data from an intensively monitored polygamous of snowy plovers. We show that...
Abstract Aim Parental care improves the survival of offspring and therefore has a major impact on reproductive success. It is increasingly recognized that coordinated biparental necessary to ensure in hostile environments, but little known about influence environmental fluctuations parental cooperation. Assessing impacts stochasticity, however, essential for understanding how populations will respond climate change associated increasing frequencies extreme weather events. Here we investigate...
Sexual selection may act as a promotor of speciation since divergent mate choice and competition for mates can rapidly lead to reproductive isolation. Alternatively, sexual also retard polygamous individuals access additional by increased breeding dispersal. High dispersal should hence increase gene flow reduce diversification in species. Here, we test how polygamy predicts shorebirds using genetic differentiation subspecies richness proxies population divergence. Examining microsatellite...
A new primer set was developed for sex-typing birds, Z37B. This designed to amplify alleles of small size render it suitable degraded samples, including shed feathers. marker successfully sex-typed 50 % the species tested, passerines, shorebirds, rails, seabirds, eagles and brown kiwi Apteryx australis (allele range =81–103 bp), is therefore expected be a wide species. Z37B non-degraded samples (blood), tissue (dead unhatched embryos, dead nestlings museum specimens) low quantity DNA...
We have developed a new marker (Z43B) that can be successfully used to identify the sex of most birds (69%), including species difficult or impossible with other markers. utilized zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata EST microsatellite sequence (CK309496) which displays homology 5' untranslated region (UTR) avian spindlin gene. This gene is known present on Z and W chromosomes. To maximize cross-species utility, primer set was designed from consensus created homologs CK309496 were isolated...
Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) among adults is commonly observed in animals and considered to be adaptive. However, the ontogenic emergence of SSD, i.e. timing divergence body between males females, has only recently received attention. It widely acknowledged that ontogeny SSD may differ species, but it remains unclear how variable within species. Kentish Plovers
Extra‐pair paternity is a common reproductive strategy in many bird species. However, it remains unclear why extra‐pair occurs and varies among species populations. Plovers ( Charadrius spp.) exhibit considerable variation behaviour ecology, making them excellent models to investigate the evolution of social genetic mating systems. We investigated inter‐ intra‐specific patterns parentage evaluated three major hypotheses explaining using comparative approach based on microsatellite genotypes...
Explaining variation in individual fitness is a key goal evolutionary biology. Recently, telomeres, repeating DNA sequences capping the ends of chromosomes, have gained attention as biomarker for body state, quality, and ageing. However, existing research has provided mixed evidence whether telomere length correlates with components, including survival reproductive output. Moreover, few studies examined how shortening wild populations. Here, we intensively monitored an insular population...
Abstract Explaining variation in individual fitness is a key goal evolutionary biology. Recently, telomeres, repeating DNA sequences capping chromosome ends, have gained attention as biomarker for body state, physiological costs, and senescence. Existing research has provided mixed evidence whether telomere length correlates with fitness, including survival reproductive output. Moreover, few studies examined how the rate of change wild populations. Here, we intensively monitored an insular...
Exploring the patterns of genetic structure in context geographical and phenotypic variation is important to understand evolutionary processes involved speciation. We investigated population subspecies differentiation Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula, a high latitude wader that breeds arctic temperate zones from northeast Canada across Eurasia Russian Far East. Three subspecies, tundrae psammodromus, are currently widely recognised, whereas fourth kolymensis, has been proposed based...
During the 1950s and 1970s osprey (Pandion haliaetus) experienced a dramatic population crash remains of conservation concern in several parts world. We isolated 37 microsatellite loci assessed these ospreys sampled UK Norway (using mouth swabs/feathers). From 26 variable four ospreys, we selected 13, combined into two multiplex-PCR sets included sex-typing marker. Additional markers confirmed sexes. In 17 feather-sampled central Norway, found 3–10 alleles per locus. The 13 are autosomal...
Telomeres are a popular biomarker of senescence, as telomere dynamics linked with survival and lifespan. However, the evolutionary potential dynamics, selection pattern that gives rise to not well known. To better understand this, it is necessary quantify genetic variation in length, how such changes age. Here, we analysed longitudinal dataset (2,156 samples from 1,267 individuals across 15 years) wild, insular house sparrow (Passer domesticus) population complete life-history relatedness...
Sex‐related variation in survival is common birds and, as it influences effective population size and growth, important for conservation species management. Here we assessed incubation behaviour sex‐related a threatened sexually monomorphic shorebird, the S t H elena P lover C haradrius sanctaehelenae . Males incubated at night, period of highest activity cats, which are likely to be predators breeding birds. In spite behavioural differences between sexes, adult was not significantly...
Colonization of islands by long‐distance dispersers has great impact on genetic diversification among populations and may spearhead speciation events. We investigated intra‐ interspecific divergence in Charadrius plovers with mainland Africa, Madagascar St Helena. analysed microsatellite loci sequence data from four nuclear two mitochondrial gene regions. are shorebirds high dispersal mobility. Our results confirmed differentiation between three plover species (White‐fronted Plover...
The Chestnut‐banded Plover Charadrius pallidus is a Near‐Threatened shorebird species endemic to mainland Africa. We examined levels of genetic differentiation between its two morphologically and geographically distinct subspecies, C. p. in southern Africa (population size 11 000–16 000) venustus eastern 6500). In contrast other plover that maintain connectivity over thousands kilometres across continental Africa, we found profound differences remote sampling sites. Phylogenetic network...
Microsatellite loci are widely used in ecological and evolutionary studies to assess inbreeding, genetic parentage population structure. Such often optimised multiplexes allow for economical efficient use. Here, we tested 11 microsatellite designed use European bee-eaters (Merops apiaster), along with 31 isolated other species, their utility sampled on Susak Island, Croatia. Of these 42 loci, 20 were polymorphic 38 individuals. These further assessed a sub-set of 23 adults, excluding close...
Explaining variation in individual fitness is a key goal evolutionary biology. Recently, telomeres, repeating DNA sequences capping the ends of chromosomes, have gained attention as biomarker for body state, quality, and ageing. However, existing research has provided mixed evidence whether telomere length correlates with components, including survival reproductive output. Moreover, few studies examined how shortening wild populations. Here, we intensively monitored an insular population...