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Comparative analyses of the influence of developmental mode on phenotypic diversification rates in shorebirds.

ABSTRACT: Phenotypic diversity is not evenly distributed across lineages. Here, we describe and apply a maximum-likelihood phylogenetic comparative method to test for different rates of phenotypic evolution between groups of the avian order Charadriiformes (shorebirds, gulls and alcids) to test the influence of a binary trait (offspring demand; semi-precocial or precocial) on rates of evolution of parental care, mating systems and secondary sexual traits. In semi-precocial species, chicks are reliant on the parents for feeding, but in precocial species the chicks feed themselves. Thus, where the parents are emancipated from feeding the young, we predict that there is an increased potential for brood desertion, and consequently for the divergence of mating systems. In addition, secondary sexual traits are predicted to evolve faster in groups with less demanding young. We found that precocial development not only allows rapid divergence of parental care and mating behaviours, but also promotes the rapid diversification of secondary sexual characters, most notably sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in body mass. Thus, less demanding offspring appear to facilitate rapid evolution of breeding systems and some sexually selected traits.

SUBMITTER: Thomas GH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1634920 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Comparative analyses of the influence of developmental mode on phenotypic diversification rates in shorebirds.

Thomas Gavin H GH Freckleton Robert P RP Székely Tamás T

Proceedings. Biological sciences 20060701 1594

Phenotypic diversity is not evenly distributed across lineages. Here, we describe and apply a maximum-likelihood phylogenetic comparative method to test for different rates of phenotypic evolution between groups of the avian order Charadriiformes (shorebirds, gulls and alcids) to test the influence of a binary trait (offspring demand; semi-precocial or precocial) on rates of evolution of parental care, mating systems and secondary sexual traits. In semi-precocial species, chicks are reliant on t ...[more]

PMID: 16769632

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Project description:The coexistence of species with similar ecological niches is one of the core interests of community ecology research. However, how functional feeding traits, including bill size and leg length, determine the niche of mixed flocks of shorebird species has seldomly been studied, as well as, microhabitat variables affect the spatial patterns of availability and the quality of patches for wintering. From October 2016 to March 2017 at Shengjin Lake, Anhui Province, China, we recorded 226 scan samples from the different microhabitats and 93 focal animal videos of four common shorebird species: common greenshank, spotted redshank, Kentish plover, and little ringed plover. We found that the species participating in the mixed groups were different in each microhabitat. The results of the overlap index for microhabitats and foraging techniques between the species were consistent with the morphological characteristics of these species. Kentish and little ringed plovers had the highest Pianka's niche overlap index values of 0.95 and 0.98 for microhabitats and foraging techniques, respectively, whereas common greenshank and spotted redshank had values of 0.78 and 0.89, respectively. Common greenshank and spotted redshank used four foraging techniques: a single probe (PR), multiple probes (MPR), a single peck (PE), and multiple pecks (MPE). Kentish and little ringed plovers only used PE and MPE. The mean bill size, mean leg length, and mean foraging frequency were significantly associated with water depth. The mean bill size and mean leg length were both significantly correlated with the mean foraging frequency of shorebirds. The vegetated area was the most important variable for grouping among shorebirds. We concluded that the four species showed differences in their preferred microhabitats and foraging patterns. Interspecific morphological differences, including bill and leg lengths, resulted in niche differentiation. Thus, effective resource allocation by regional species was realized, and a dynamic balance was achieved by the mixed foraging species. The information on foraging behavior and habitat requirements could be useful in the management of water levels in natural areas and conservation of a diversity of wintering shorebirds.

Dataset Information

Comparative analyses of the influence of developmental mode on phenotypic diversification rates in shorebirds.

Publications

Comparative analyses of the influence of developmental mode on phenotypic diversification rates in shorebirds.

Similar Datasets

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