A5038868622- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Plant and animal studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Plant and Fungal Species Descriptions
- Plant Diversity and Evolution
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Livestock and Poultry Management
- Malaria Research and Control
Texas A&M University
2015-2024
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
2015
Mitchell Institute
2010-2014
Kimberley Hospital
2012
University of Memphis
2004-2008
Stellenbosch University
2005
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
1999-2003
University of Washington
1998-2001
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
1998-1999
Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain the abundance-occupancy relationship (AOR) in parasites. The niche breadth hypothesis suggests that host generalists are more abundant and efficient at colonizing different communities than specialists. trade-off argues specialists achieve high density across their hosts' ranges, whereas incur cost of adaptation diverse immuno-defence systems. We tested these using 386 haemosporidian cytochrome-b lineages (1894 sequences) recovered from 2318 birds...
Species delimitation attempts to match species-level taxonomy with actual evolutionary lineages. Such taxonomic conclusions are typically, but not always, based on patterns of congruence across multiple data sources and methods analyses. Here, we use this pluralistic approach species help resolve uncertainty in boundaries phrynosomatid sand lizards the genus Holbrookia. Specifically, Spot-tailed Earless Lizard (H. lacerata) was historically divided into a northern l. southern subcaudalis)...
Abstract A clear challenge for ecological niche modelling is determining how to best mitigate the effects of sampling bias from commonly collected biodiversity data. Recent approaches have focused on filtering occurrences in overrepresented regions based geographic or environmental proximity. We tested efficacy and space using occurrence data four species. Our evaluation strategies examined 14 distance measures spaces eight combinations variables their ordinations. This resulted 78 datasets...
Abstract Aim Macroecological analyses provide valuable insights into factors that influence how parasites are distributed across space and among hosts. Amid large uncertainties arise when generalizing from local regional findings, hierarchical approaches applied to global datasets required determine whether drivers of parasite infection patterns vary scales. We assessed haemosporidian infections a broad diversity avian host clades zoogeographical realms depict hotspots prevalence identify...
ABSTRACT Aim Montane tropics are areas of high endemism, and mechanisms driving this endemism have been receiving increasing attention at a global scale. A general trend is that climatic factors do not explain the species richness with small to medium‐sized geographic ranges, suggesting geological evolutionary processes must be considered. On African continent, several hypotheses including both refugial uplift models advanced avian speciation diversity in lowland forest montane regions...
Dispersal and vicariant hypotheses have for decades been at odds with each other, notwithstanding the fact that both are well-established natural processes important histories in biogeographic analyses. Despite their importance, neither dispersal nor methodologies problem-free. The now widely used molecular techniques generating phylogenies provided a mechanism by which dispersal- vicariance-driven speciation can be better tested via application of clocks; unfortunately, substantial problems...
We addressed the evolution of long-distance migration in and historical biogeography Catharus thrushes within a phylogenetic framework. are Nearctic–Neotropical genus consisting five migrant seven resident species. reconstructed molecular phylogeny using combined analysis cytochrome-b ND2 genes. Phylogenetic reconstructions indicate nonmonophyly migratory The Neotropics most likely ancestral geographic area for entire lineage, species sister to taxa whose ranges restricted Central America,...
Abstract The Riverine Barriers Hypothesis ( RBH ) posits that tropical rivers can be effective barriers to gene flow, based on observations range boundaries often coincide with river barriers. Over the last 160 years, has received attention from various perspectives, a particular focus vertebrates in Amazon Basin. To our knowledge, no molecular assessment of been conducted birds Afrotropics, despite its rich avifauna and many Afrotropical bird species being widely distributed across numerous...
Abstract The evolution of migration in birds has fascinated biologists for centuries. In this study, we performed phylogenetic‐based analyses C atharus thrushes, a model genus the study avian migration, and their close relatives. For these analyses, used both mitochondrial nuclear genes, resulting phylogenies were to trace migratory traits biogeographic patterns. Our results provide first robust assessment relationships within relatives indicate that autosomal genes contribute overall...
The Old World warbler genus Sylvia has been used extensively as a model system in variety of ecological, genetic, and morphological studies. is comprised about 25 species, 70% these species have distributions at or near the Mediterranean Sea. This distribution pattern suggests possible role for Messinian Salinity Crisis (from 5.96-5.33 Ma) driving force lineage diversification. Other suggest that Late Miocene to Pliocene Afro-tropical forest dynamics also important evolution lineages. Using...
The process of ecological speciation drives the evolution locally adapted and reproductively isolated populations in response to divergent natural selection. In Southern Mexico, several lineages freshwater fish species genus Poecilia have independently colonized toxic, hydrogen sulfide-rich springs. Even though processes are increasingly well understood this system, aligning taxonomy these with evolutionary has lagged behind. While some sulfide spring classified as ecotypes mexicana, others,...
Using museum specimens, we determined that Eastern (Vireo gilvus) and Western (V. swainsonii) warbling-vireos have contrasting schedules for their prebasic molt relative to fall migration. Adult gilvus replace primaries rapidly (38 days) complete after breeding but while still on the grounds. In contrast, adult swainsonii breed north of Mexico begin body grounds appear continue it during These birds leave United States Canada before initiating remigial molt, our data suggest many them stop...
Abstract Aims Insular Southeast Asia and adjacent regions are geographically complex, were dramatically affected by both Pliocene Pleistocene changes in climate, sea level geology. These circumstances allow the testing of several biogeographical hypotheses regarding species distribution patterns phylogeny. Avian this area present a challenge to biogeographers, as many less hindered barriers that may block movements other species. Widely distributed Asian avian lineages, which there many,...
Abstract Mountains host greater avian diversity than lowlands at the same latitude due to their of habitats stratified along an elevation gradient. Here we test whether this ecological heterogeneity promotes sympatric speciation. We selected accentors ( P runellidae), family associated with mountains alearctic, as a model system. Accentors differ in habitat/elevation preferences and south‐central Siberia H imalayan regions each 6 13 species family. used sequences mtDNA ND 2 gene intron 9 Z...
Abstract Aim Vertebrate diversity in the Guineo‐Congolian forests (GCF) of Africa is high, yet mechanisms responsible for generating that remain remarkably understudied. These have alternatively been viewed as centres diversification (“cradles”) or more recently, opposite (“museums”). Here, we use a comparative dataset avian and mammalian species to examine genetic patterns across these results explain observed light Plio‐Pleistocene climatic change life‐history. Location Africa. Methods We...
Identifying robust environmental predictors of infection probability is central to forecasting and mitigating the ongoing impacts climate change on vector-borne disease threats. We applied phylogenetic hierarchical models a data set 2,171 Western Palearctic individual birds from 47 species determine how landscape variation influence for three genera haemosporidian blood parasites (Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium). Our comparative found compelling evidence that in areas with higher...
Nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b and ND2 genes were used in analyses phylogenetic relationships 10 11 currently recognized species wagtails (Aves: Motacilla). All produced similar hypotheses relationships. Both Motacilla citreola M. flava are paraphyletic, consist two three distinct clades, respectively. lugens alba paraphyletic with respect to one another. None superspecies monophyletic. A series alternative tree topologies on which monophyly enforced significantly...