A5044105125- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Plant and animal studies
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- High Altitude and Hypoxia
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Wildlife Conservation and Criminology Analyses
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Botanical Studies and Applications
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Diptera species taxonomy and behavior
- Environmental and Cultural Studies in Latin America and Beyond
- Agricultural and Food Production Studies
Houston Museum of Natural Science
2002-2024
Louisiana State University
2002-2024
Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad
2011-2024
Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina
2019-2024
University of Alaska Fairbanks
2024
University of Miami
2024
University of British Columbia
2024
Casper College
2024
McMaster University
2024
Louisiana State University Agricultural Center
2008
The ecoevolutionary drivers of species niche expansion or contraction are critical for biodiversity but challenging to infer. Niche may be promoted by local adaptation constrained physiological performance trade-offs. For birds, evolutionary shifts in migratory behavior permit the broadening climatic into varied, seasonal environments. Broader niches can short-lived if diversifying selection and geography promote speciation subdivision across gradients. To illuminate breadth dynamics, we ask...
Theory predicts that parallel evolution should be common when the number of beneficial mutations is limited by selective constraints on protein structure. However, confirmation scarce in natural populations. Here we studied major haemoglobin genes eight Andean duck lineages and compared them to 115 other waterfowl species, including bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) Abyssinian blue-winged (Cyanochen cyanopterus), two additional species living at high altitude. One five amino acid replacements...
When populations become locally adapted to contrasting environments, alleles that have high fitness in only one environment may be quickly eliminated other such gene flow is partly restricted. The stronger the selection, more rapidly immigrant of lower will from population. However, continue occur at unlinked loci, and adaptive divergence can proceed face countervailing if selection strong relative migration (s > m). We studied population genetics major hemoglobin genes yellow-billed...
Significance Interactions between hosts and parasites can reciprocally limit the ranges of individual species. But to what extent do they affect composition communities? In Andean biodiversity hot spot, we tested why host parasite communities vary over spatial temporal scales. Variation in rainfall was predominant predictor turnover for both parasites. However, effects species interactions were asymmetric: Parasite strongly predicted by communities, but not vice versa. Against conventional...
Seeking more precise knowledge of avian endemism on the east slope Andes in Peru and Bolivia, one most diverse faunal regions Earth, we used distribution models based locality records 10–12 uncorrelated environmental variables to map distributions 115 species. Both maximum-entropy deductive reveal three areas endemism, broadly supporting previous assessments region but showing much detail. Regions such as southwestern Cordillera de Vilcabamba Río Mapacho-Yavero valley Cusco, Peru, Apolobamba...
Hypoxia is one of the most important factors affecting survival at high altitude, and major hemoglobin protein a likely target selection. We compared population genetic structure in αA βA subunits (HBA2 HBB) five paired lowland highland populations Andean dabbling ducks to unlinked reference loci. In genes, parallel amino acid replacements were overrepresented lineages, derived substitutions occurred external solvent‐accessible positions on α β subunits, α1β1 intersubunit contacts, or close...
Abstract Tropical mountains feature marked species turnover along elevational gradients and across complex topography, resulting in great concentrations of avian biodiversity. In these landscapes, particularly among morphologically conserved difficult to observe groups, limits still require clarification. One such lineage is Scytalopus tapaculos, which are the most birds. Attention their distinctive vocal repertoires phylogenetic relationships has resulted a proliferation newly identified...
Abstract Rivers frequently delimit the geographic ranges of species in Amazon Basin. These rivers also define boundaries between genetic clusters within many species, yet river have been documented to break down headwater regions where are narrower. To explore evolutionary implications contact zones Amazonia, we examined variation Blue-capped Manakin (Lepidothrix coronata), a previously shown contain several genetically and phenotypically distinct populations across western We collected...
Abstract Hypoxia is a key factor determining survival, and haemoglobins are targets of selection in species native to high‐altitude regions. We studied population genetic structure evaluated evidence for local adaptation the crested duck ( Lophonetta specularioides ). Differentiation, gene flow time since divergence between highland lowland populations were assessed three haemoglobin genes (α A , α D β ) compared seven reference loci (six autosomal introns mtDNA). Four derived amino acid...
Abstract Incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) and introgression increase genealogical discordance across the genome, which complicates phylogenetic inference. In such cases, identifying orthologs that result in gene trees with low estimation error is crucial because phylogenomic methods rely on accurate histories. We sequenced whole genomes of tinamous (Aves: Tinamidae) to reconstruct their interrelationships dissect sources tree species-tree discordance. compared results based five ortholog...
Hypoxia and cold temperatures create unique physiological challenges for high-altitude organisms that can vary depending on lifestyle. While nearly all studies of air-breathing animals at high altitude are from terrestrial species, species breath-hold dive underwater encounter a very different set selective pressures influencing their phenotype. The goal this publication is to highlight the changes in O2 transport utilization diving birds relative divers sea level, extent which these...
We describe a new species of Scytalopus tapaculo (Aves: Passeriformes: Rhinocryptidae) from the temperate humid montane forests (2,400–3,200 m) Junín Department, Peru. This has unique song that differs strikingly any known species, consisting rapidly repeated series ascending phrases. Phenotypically, is uniformly blackish in color and small-to-medium size, most similar to members allopatric S. latrans complex. At least six occur along an elevational gradient on eastern slopes Andes Junín;...
The recording in 1992 of an unknown antbird loudsong initiated a journey discovery that led to the resolution conflict between John Zimmer (1932) and Melvin Carriker (1934) regarding taxonomic standing population Myrmeciza hemimelaena, widespread southern Amazonian antbird, occurs lower Andean elevations San Martín, Peru. had described new subspecies, M. h. castanea, from Moyobamba Valley, but Carriker, on basis specimens he collected at same elevation adjoining valley, could not find...
We describe a distinctive new species of twistwing (Tyrannidae: Cnipodectes) from southeastern Peru. Despite extensive ornithological research in the region, this has escaped notice, which suggests that it may be restricted to larger blocks forest dominated by bamboo (Guadua spp.), habitat poorly surveyed Amazonia. Currently known only few sites departments Madre de Dios and Cuzco, appears Guadua specialist, though its life history is very known. To date, other Cnipodectes, C. subbrunneus...
The lower Huallaga River in Peru was the focal region of 2 important ornithological collections mid-19th century and a third early 20th century. Many new taxa were described from these collections, yet has since been largely unexplored by ornithologists. There is need for modern sampling, including collection genetic vocal data, near type localities order to anchor taxonomic units better inform conservation decisions. We undertook expeditions (Jeberos on left bank 2001 Santa Cruz right 2016)...
AbstractThe extent to which species ranges reflect intrinsic physiological tolerances is a major question in evolutionary ecology. To date, consensus has been hindered by the limited tractability of experimental approaches across most tree life. Here, we apply macrophysiological approach understand how hematological traits related oxygen transport shape elevational tropical biodiversity hot spot. Along Andean gradients, measured that affect blood oxygen-carrying capacity-total and cellular...
Abstract The Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera) comprises five subspecies that inhabit a variety of habitats along an elevational gradient at temperate and tropical latitudes. North American South differ in their migratory behavior, which may have contributed to differences body size. We measured size the recognized (A. c. cyanoptera, A. orinomus, borreroi, tropica, septentrionalium) throughout ranges evaluated morphometric differentiation relation Bergmann's rule. Subspecies geographic regions...
In July 2001, a Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science expedition rediscovered the White-masked Antbird (Pithys castaneus) at site along Río Morona in northwestern Departmento Loreto, Peru. Prior to this rediscovery, species was known only from type specimen, taken 1937, and nothing recorded concerning its natural history. The lack additional specimens led speculation that P. castaneus hybrid. Here, we present data demonstrating is valid species, report first observations...
Abstract We describe a distinctive new species of twistwing (Tyrannidae: Cnipodectes) from southeastern Peru. Despite extensive ornithological research in the region, this has escaped notice, which suggests that it may be restricted to larger blocks forest dominated by bamboo (Guadua spp.), habitat poorly surveyed Amazonia. Currently known only few sites departments Madre de Dios and Cuzco, appears Guadua specialist, though its life history is very known. To date, other Cnipodectes, C....
Introgression of beneficial alleles has emerged as an important avenue for genetic adaptation in both plant and animal populations. In vertebrates, to hypoxic high-altitude environments involves the coordination multiple molecular cellular mechanisms, including selection on hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway blood-O2 transport protein hemoglobin (Hb). two Andean duck species, a striking DNA sequence similarity reflecting identity by descent is present across ~20 kb β-globin cluster...