Distribution-wide morphometric data of Jungle Crows (Corvus macrorhynchos)

Data in Brief, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 59, P. 111325 - 111325

Published: Jan. 24, 2025

Language: Английский

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Bill Length of Non‐breeding Shorebirds Influences the Water Depth Preferences for Foraging in the West Coast of India

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(10)

Published: Oct. 1, 2024

ABSTRACT Body size, bill length and shape determine foraging techniques, habitat selection diet among shorebirds. In this study, water depth preferences of different shorebirds with sizes in various habitats including mudflats, mangroves at Kadalundi‐Vallikkunnu Community Reserve (KVCR) (19 shorebird species) adjacent agroecosystems Vazhakkad (12 were studied between 2017 2020. The the was significantly positively associated average depth, where observed to forage. Shorebirds shorter lengths preferred shallow waters those longer bills deep for their activities. Habitat type also had a significant effect on occurrence. Eurasian Curlews both mudflats areas higher compared other species. This is due fact that tend specialise feeding or prey items reduce intraspecific competition distribute themselves space time accordance availability resources. occurrence some species attributed reduced food availability, quality disturbances tidal flats, which are critical sustaining migratory phenology. differences morphology crucial determining diet, niche segregation. Morphological characters hydrological rhythms specialisation preference

Language: Английский

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Complementarity in Allen’s and Bergmann’s rules among birds

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: July 15, 2023

Abstract Biologists have long noted that endotherms tend to larger bodies (Bergmann’s rule) and shorter appendages (Allen’s in colder environments. Nevertheless, many taxonomic groups appear not conform these ‘rules’, general explanations for frequent exceptions are currently lacking. Here we note by combining complementary changes body extremity size, lineages could theoretically respond thermal gradients with smaller either trait than those predicted Bergmann’s or Allen’s rule alone. To test this idea, leverage geographic, ecological, phylogenetic, morphological data on 6,974 non-migratory terrestrial bird species, show stronger family-wide bill size over correlated more muted size. Additionally, most families exhibit weak but appropriately directed both traits, supporting the notion of complementarity rules. Finally, few significant be speciose, widely distributed, ecologically constrained. Our findings validate logic remind us simply convenient proxies their true quantity interest: surface-to-volume ratio.

Language: Английский

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Ecological predictors of interspecific variation in bird bill and leg lengths on a global scale

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 290(2003)

Published: July 26, 2023

Bills and legs are two vital appendages for birds, they exhibit huge interspecific variation in form function, yet no study has examined the global predictors of this variation. This gradients relative lengths bird bills tarsi (i.e. exposed leg parts) to body size across non-migratory while accounting phylogeny. We found that bill length tarsus were related diet, habitat density, latitude, annual mean temperature, temperature variability hand–wing index (HWI), a proxy birds' flight efficiency. Among these factors, diet played primary role predicting length, with nectar-feeding pollinators, vertivores, invertivores omnivores having longer bills; HWI emerged as predominant predictor wherein species higher had shorter tarsi. However, effects factors differed between passerines non-passerines, some temperature-related exhibiting opposite trends groups. Our findings highlight compromise adaptations feeding, thermoregulation performance distinct appendages.

Language: Английский

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Shorebirds Are Shrinking and Shape‐Shifting: Declining Body Size and Lengthening Bills in the Past Half‐Century

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 27(12)

Published: Dec. 1, 2024

Animals are predicted to shrink and shape-shift as the climate warms, declining in size, while their appendages lengthen. Determining which types of species undergoing these morphological changes, why, is critical understanding responses global change, including potential adaptation warming. We examine body size bill length changes 25 shorebird using extensive field data (> 200,000 observations) collected over 46 years (1975-2021) by community scientists. show widespread declines time, after short-term exposure warmer summers. Meanwhile, bills lengthening time but shorten hot Shrinking shape-shifting patterns consistent across ecologically diverse shorebirds from tropical temperate Australia, more pronounced smaller vary according migration behaviour. These could be explained multiple drivers, adaptive maladaptive nutritional stress, or thermal

Language: Английский

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The effects of climate on bat morphology across space and time

Ecography, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 4, 2025

According to Bergmann's and Allen's rules, climate change may drive morphological shifts in species, affecting body size appendage length. These rules predict that species colder climates tend be larger have shorter appendages improve thermoregulation. Bats are thought sensitive therefore expected respond climatic changes across space time. We conducted a phylogenetic meta‐analysis on > 27 000 forearm length (FAL) mass (BM) measurements from 20 sedentary European bat examine patterns. assessed the relationships between environmental variables (winter summer temperatures, precipitation) geographic locations, also analysed temporal trends size. found sex‐specific of bats response temperature precipitation patterns space, but no clear due high interspecific variability. Across Europe, male FAL decreased with increasing winter BM increased greater precipitation. In contrast, both female temperatures. Our data can confirm rule for males females, while females' variations related precipitation, suggesting potential link resource availability. is confirmed only relation temperature, females decrease proportionally maintaining constant allometric relationship incompatible rule. This study provides new insights into sex species‐dependent It highlights how variation reflects adaptations patterns, thus providing species‐level responses Europe.

Language: Английский

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The Genomic Landscapes of Desert Birds Form over Multiple Time Scales

Molecular Biology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 39(10)

Published: Sept. 22, 2022

Spatial models show that genetic differentiation between populations can be explained by factors ranging from geographic distance to environmental resistance across the landscape. However, genomes exhibit a landscape of differentiation, indicating multiple processes may mediate divergence in different portions genome. We tested this idea comparing alternative predctors ten bird species co-occur Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts North America. Using population-level genomic data, we described landscapes modeled conditions represented historical contemporary mechanisms. The characteristics differed species, influenced varying levels population structuring admixture deserts, best-fit contrasted whole genome partitions along Both mechanisms were important explaining distance, but particularly past current environments, suggesting evolution was modulated climate habitat There also best-ftit these regions capture evolutionary histories. These results associated with operating on genome, which reflect how heterogeneous patterns evolve genomes.

Language: Английский

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Introducing the Scientific Image Analysis Application: A Free and User-Friendly Program for Extracting Bioinformatics From Digital Images

2022 IEEE 12th Annual Computing and Communication Workshop and Conference (CCWC), Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 18, P. 0778 - 0787

Published: March 8, 2023

Phenotypic analysis from digital photographs is a useful tool in bioinformatics, and it has become increasingly important the study of museum specimens as more natural history archives are digitized. However, steep learning curves high costs associated with currently available image software limits archive use by undergraduates, K-12 students, researchers at smaller educational institutions, citizen scientists. We have created Scientific Image Analysis (SIA) application to overcome these limitations that freely any user an intuitive interface. SIA includes tools measure length, angle, color area photographs, correct for biases skew perspective photograph. In this short paper we test their repeatability measuring 497 avian specimens. quantified variation bill angle curvature bill, plumage color. find measurements were highly repeatable across measurers, replicate same specimen, robust choices within tools.

Language: Английский

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Variation in bill surface area is associated with local climatic factors across populations of the plain laughingthrush

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 13(9)

Published: Sept. 1, 2023

Abstract Recent studies have found that avian bill and tarsus morphology may evolved in response to climatic conditions, these organs play important roles thermoregulation water retention extreme environments. Here, we examined whether surface area length were associated with conditions the plain laughingthrush, Garrulax davidi , which mainly occurs north China occupies several zones from east west. We measured 321 adults 11 populations, almost encompassing all habitat types of species. analyzed relationships among morphological traits local factors. Bill was positively correlated maximum temperature, indicating tended be larger hotter Furthermore, a negative relationship winter precipitation, arid areas. However, did not find any between These results suggest climates shape evolution divergence, summer seems critical season for this temperate zone passerine.

Language: Английский

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The genomic landscapes of desert birds form over multiple time scales

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 8, 2022

Abstract Spatial models show that genetic differentiation between populations can be explained by factors ranging from geographic distance to environmental resistance across the landscape. However, genomes exhibit a landscape of differentiation, which could indicate multiple spatial better explain divergence in different portions genome. We test whether alternative predictors intraspecific vary genome ten bird species co-occur Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts North America. Using population-level genomic data, we characterized landscapes modeled five represented historical contemporary mechanisms. The characteristics differed species, influenced varying levels population structuring admixture deserts. General dissimilarity matrix modeling indicated best-fit whole partitions along Almost all mechanisms were important explaining distance, but particularly environment, while abundance, position barrier gene flow, relatively less. Individual have significantly patterns variation. These results illustrate was operating on

Language: Английский

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