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Barreto E, Boehm MMA, Ogutcen E, Abrahamczyk S, Kessler M, Bascompte J, Dellinger AS, Bello C, Dehling DM, Duchenne F, Kaehler M, Lagomarsino LP, Lohmann LG, Maglianesi MA, Morlon H, Muchhala N, Ornelas JF, Perret M, Salinas NR, Smith SD, Vamosi JC, Varassin IG, Graham CH. Macroevolution of the plant-hummingbird pollination system. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38705863 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Plant-hummingbird interactions are considered a classic example of coevolution, a process in which mutually dependent species influence each other's evolution. Plants depend on hummingbirds for pollination, whereas hummingbirds rely on nectar for food. As a step towards understanding coevolution, this review focuses on the macroevolutionary consequences of plant-hummingbird interactions, a relatively underexplored area in the current literature. We synthesize prior studies, illustrating the origins and dynamics of hummingbird pollination across different angiosperm clades previously pollinated by insects (mostly bees), bats, and passerine birds. In some cases, the crown age of hummingbirds pre-dates the plants they pollinate. In other cases, plant groups transitioned to hummingbird pollination early in the establishment of this bird group in the Americas, with the build-up of both diversities coinciding temporally, and hence suggesting co-diversification. Determining what triggers shifts to and away from hummingbird pollination remains a major open challenge. The impact of hummingbirds on plant diversification is complex, with many tropical plant lineages experiencing increased diversification after acquiring flowers that attract hummingbirds, and others experiencing no change or even a decrease in diversification rates. This mixed evidence suggests that other extrinsic or intrinsic factors, such as local climate and isolation, are important covariables driving the diversification of plants adapted to hummingbird pollination. To guide future studies, we discuss the mechanisms and contexts under which hummingbirds, as a clade and as individual species (e.g. traits, foraging behaviour, degree of specialization), could influence plant evolution. We conclude by commenting on how macroevolutionary signals of the mutualism could relate to coevolution, highlighting the unbalanced focus on the plant side of the interaction, and advocating for the use of species-level interaction data in macroevolutionary studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Barreto
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Mannfred M A Boehm
- Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, 2212 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ezgi Ogutcen
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Straße 34, Salzburg, 5020, Austria
| | - Stefan Abrahamczyk
- Nees Institute for Biodiversity of Plant, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 170, Bonn, 53115, Germany
- State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, Botany Department, Rosenstein 1, Stuttgart, 70191, Germany
| | - Michael Kessler
- Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, Zurich, 8008, Switzerland
| | - Jordi Bascompte
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurestrasse 190, Zurich, 8057, Switzerland
| | - Agnes S Dellinger
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, Vienna, 1030, Austria
| | - Carolina Bello
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 16, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - D Matthias Dehling
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - François Duchenne
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Miriam Kaehler
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Avenida Coronel Francisco H. dos Santos 100, Curitiba, 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Laura P Lagomarsino
- Department of Biological Sciences, Shirley C. Tucker Herbarium, Louisiana State University, Life Science Annex Building A257, Baton Rouge, 70803, LA, USA
| | - Lúcia G Lohmann
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 277, Butantã, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brazil
- Department of Integrative Biology, University and Jepson Herbaria, University of California, Berkeley, 1001 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, 94720-2465, CA, USA
| | - María A Maglianesi
- Escuela de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Estatal a Distancia, San José, 474-2050, Costa Rica
| | - Hélène Morlon
- Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure (IBENS), École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, UMR 8197, 46 rue d'Ulm, Paris, 75005, France
| | - Nathan Muchhala
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri - St. Louis, St. Louis, 63121, MO, USA
| | - Juan Francisco Ornelas
- Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, A.C. (INECOL), Xalapa, Veracruz, 91073, Mexico
| | - Mathieu Perret
- Department of Plant Sciences, Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de Genève, University of Geneva, Chem. de l'Impératrice 1, 1292 Pregny-Chambésy, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nelson R Salinas
- Pfizer Plant Research Laboratory, New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx, New York City, 10458, NY, USA
| | - Stacey D Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado-Boulder, 1900 Pleasant St, Boulder, 80302, CO, USA
| | - Jana C Vamosi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, T2N1N4, AB, Canada
| | - Isabela G Varassin
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
- Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Avenida Coronel Francisco H. dos Santos 100, Curitiba, 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Catherine H Graham
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
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Colwell RK, Rangel TF, Fučíková K, Sustaita D, Yanega GM, Rico-Guevara A. Repeated Evolution of Unorthodox Feeding Styles Drives a Negative Correlation between Foot Size and Bill Length in Hummingbirds. Am Nat 2023; 202:699-720. [PMID: 37963119 DOI: 10.1086/726036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
AbstractDifferences among hummingbird species in bill length and shape have rightly been viewed as adaptive in relation to the morphology of the flowers they visit for nectar. In this study we examine functional variation in a behaviorally related but neglected feature: hummingbird feet. We gathered records of hummingbirds clinging by their feet to feed legitimately as pollinators or illegitimately as nectar robbers-"unorthodox" feeding behaviors. We measured key features of bills and feet for 220 species of hummingbirds and compared the 66 known "clinger" species (covering virtually the entire scope of hummingbird body size) with the 144 presumed "non-clinger" species. Once the effects of phylogenetic signal, body size, and elevation above sea level are accounted for statistically, hummingbirds display a surprising but functionally interpretable negative correlation. Clingers with short bills and long hallux (hind-toe) claws have evolved-independently-more than 20 times and in every major clade. Their biomechanically enhanced feet allow them to save energy by clinging to feed legitimately on short-corolla flowers and by stealing nectar from long-corolla flowers. In contrast, long-billed species have shorter hallux claws, as plant species with long-corolla flowers enforce hovering to feed, simply by the way they present their flowers.
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El-Mansi AA, Al-Kahtani MA, Alshahrani H, Ibrahim EH, Al-Doaiss A, Abd-Elhafeez HH, Soliman SA, Taha R, ElBealy E. Histo-morphological Characterization of the Tongue and Oropharyngeal Cavity of the Shining Sunbird (Cinnyris habessinicus). MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1791-1808. [PMID: 37738364 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Sunbirds, as specialized nectarivores, have developed multiple lingual and oropharyngeal peculiarities imposed by this dietary specialization that particularly extract floral nectar. We have described the functional morphology of the tongues and palates of the shining sunbird, Cinnyris habessinicus, using gross anatomical, histological, and scanning electron microscopic methods. The tongue was bifurcated with fringed lamella and extended posteriorly, forming a broad trough at the lingual body and terminating in two fleshy, alae linguae. The lingual apex and body are nonpapillate and nonglandular, and its root had a muscular pad followed by a conspicuous laryngeal mound bordered by three prominent rows of conical papillae. The lingual root had clusters of mucoid glands with rich acidic mucins, and the laryngeal region had complex papillary distribution at the back margins. Both the lingual body and root had well-developed skeletal elements, musculature, and connective tissues. Furthermore, the palate was membranous and made up of four main ridges with a central choanal slit guarded by choanal papillae. Overall, the presented results showed structural and anatomical features that are the results of the nectarivory dietary niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed A El-Mansi
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed A Al-Kahtani
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hend Alshahrani
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Esam H Ibrahim
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amin Al-Doaiss
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hanan H Abd-Elhafeez
- Cell and tissues Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
| | - Soha A Soliman
- Histology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt
| | - Ramadan Taha
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Eman ElBealy
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia
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Wolcott KA, Stanley EL, Gutierrez OA, Wuchty S, Whitlock BA. 3D pollination biology using micro-computed tomography and geometric morphometrics in Theobroma cacao. APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES 2023; 11:e11549. [PMID: 37915432 PMCID: PMC10617321 DOI: 10.1002/aps3.11549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Premise Imaging technologies that capture three-dimensional (3D) variation in floral morphology at micro- and nano-resolutions are increasingly accessible. In herkogamous flowers, such as those of Theobroma cacao, structural barriers between anthers and stigmas represent bottlenecks that restrict pollinator size and access to reproductive organs. To study the unresolved pollination biology of cacao, we present a novel application of micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) using floral dimensions to quantify pollinator functional size limits. Methods We generated micro-CT data sets from field-collected flowers and museum specimens of potential pollinators. To compare floral variation, we used 3D Slicer to place landmarks on the surface models and performed a geometric morphometric (GMM) analysis using geomorph R. We identified the petal side door (an opening between the petal hoods and filament) as the main bottleneck for pollinator access. We compared its mean dimensions with proposed pollinators to identify viable candidates. Results We identified three levels of likelihood for putative pollinators based on the number of morphological (body) dimensions that fit through the petal side door. We also found floral reward microstructures whose presence and location were previously unclear. Discussion Using micro-CT and GMM to study the 3D pollination biology of cacao provides new evidence for predicting unknown pollinators. Incorporating geometry and floral rewards will strengthen plant-pollinator trait matching models for cacao and other species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Department of Natural HistoryFlorida Museum of Natural HistoryGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Osman A. Gutierrez
- Subtropical Horticultural Research StationUnited States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service (USDA‐ARS)MiamiFlorida33158USA
| | - Stefan Wuchty
- Department of BiologyUniversity of MiamiCoral GablesFlorida33124USA
- Department of Computer ScienceUniversity of MiamiCoral GablesFlorida33146USA
- Institute of Data Science and ComputingUniversity of MiamiCoral GablesFlorida33146USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida33136USA
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Hewes AE, Baldwin MW, Buttemer WA, Rico-Guevara A. How do honeyeaters drink nectar? Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:48-58. [PMID: 37279913 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated the kinematics and biomechanics of nectar feeding in five species of honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae, Acanthagenys rufogularis, Ptilotula penicillata, Certhionyx variegatus, Manorina flavigula). There is abundant information on honeyeater foraging behaviors and ecological relationships with plants, but there has never been an examination of their nectar-feeding from kinematic and biomechanical perspectives. We analyzed high-speed video of feeding in captive individuals to describe the kinematics of their nectar feeding, with specific focus on describing tongue movements and bill-tongue coordination, and to characterize the mechanism of nectar uptake in the tongue. We found clear interspecific variation in kinematics and tongue filling mechanics. Species varied in lick frequency, tongue velocity, and protrusion and retraction duration, which, in some cases, are relevant for differences in tongue filling mechanisms. We found support for the use of capillary filling in Certhionyx variegatus only. By contrast, Phylidonyris novaehollandiae, Acanthagenys rufogularis, Ptilotula penicillata, and Manorina flavigula employed a modified version of the expansive filling mechanism seen in hummingbirds, as there was dorsoventral expansion of the tongue body, even the portions that remain outside the nectar, once the tongue tip entered the nectar. All species use fluid trapping in the distal fimbriated portion of the tongue, which supports previous hypotheses describing the honeyeater tongue as a "paintbrush."
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda E Hewes
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, 4300 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Maude W Baldwin
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Eberhard-Gwinner-Straße, Seewiesen 82319, Germany
| | - William A Buttemer
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Alejandro Rico-Guevara
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, 4300 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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6
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Wei J, Rico-Guevara A, Nicolson SW, Brau F, Damman P, Gorb SN, Wu Z, Wu J. Honey bees switch mechanisms to drink deep nectar efficiently. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305436120. [PMID: 37459520 PMCID: PMC10372696 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305436120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The feeding mechanisms of animals constrain the spectrum of resources that they can exploit profitably. For floral nectar eaters, both corolla depth and nectar properties have marked influence on foraging choices. We report the multiple strategies used by honey bees to efficiently extract nectar at the range of sugar concentrations and corolla depths they face in nature. Honey bees can collect nectar by dipping their hairy tongues or capillary loading when lapping it, or they can attach the tongue to the wall of long corollas and directly suck the nectar along the tongue sides. The honey bee feeding apparatus is unveiled as a multifunctional tool that can switch between lapping and sucking nectar according to the instantaneous ingesting efficiency, which is determined by the interplay of nectar-mouth distance and sugar concentration. These versatile feeding mechanisms allow honey bees to extract nectar efficiently from a wider range of floral resources than previously appreciated and endow them with remarkable adaptability to diverse foraging environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangkun Wei
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen518107, People’s Republic of China
| | - Alejandro Rico-Guevara
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98105
| | - Susan W. Nicolson
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield0028, South Africa
| | - Fabian Brau
- Université libre de Bruxelles, Nonlinear Physical Chemistry Unit, CP231, Brussels1050, Belgium
| | - Pascal Damman
- Université de Mons, Laboratoire InFlux, Mons7000, Belgium
| | - Stanislav N. Gorb
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Department of Zoology, Kiel University, Kiel24118, Germany
| | - Zhigang Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen518107, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianing Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen518107, People’s Republic of China
- School of Advanced Manufacturing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen518107, People’s Republic of China
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Hu Y, Wang X, Xu Y, Yang H, Tong Z, Tian R, Xu S, Yu L, Guo Y, Shi P, Huang S, Yang G, Shi S, Wei F. Molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution in wild animals and plants. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2023; 66:453-495. [PMID: 36648611 PMCID: PMC9843154 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2233-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Wild animals and plants have developed a variety of adaptive traits driven by adaptive evolution, an important strategy for species survival and persistence. Uncovering the molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution is the key to understanding species diversification, phenotypic convergence, and inter-species interaction. As the genome sequences of more and more non-model organisms are becoming available, the focus of studies on molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution has shifted from the candidate gene method to genetic mapping based on genome-wide scanning. In this study, we reviewed the latest research advances in wild animals and plants, focusing on adaptive traits, convergent evolution, and coevolution. Firstly, we focused on the adaptive evolution of morphological, behavioral, and physiological traits. Secondly, we reviewed the phenotypic convergences of life history traits and responding to environmental pressures, and the underlying molecular convergence mechanisms. Thirdly, we summarized the advances of coevolution, including the four main types: mutualism, parasitism, predation and competition. Overall, these latest advances greatly increase our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms for diverse adaptive traits and species interaction, demonstrating that the development of evolutionary biology has been greatly accelerated by multi-omics technologies. Finally, we highlighted the emerging trends and future prospects around the above three aspects of adaptive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibo Hu
- CAS Key Lab of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Yongchao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Hui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Zeyu Tong
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Ran Tian
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Shaohua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Key Lab of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China.
| | - Yalong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
| | - Peng Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.
| | - Shuangquan Huang
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
| | - Guang Yang
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Suhua Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Key Lab of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
| | - Fuwen Wei
- CAS Key Lab of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
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Beltrán DF, Araya-Salas M, Parra JL, Stiles FG, Rico-Guevara A. The evolution of sexually dimorphic traits in ecological gradients: an interplay between natural and sexual selection in hummingbirds. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221783. [PMID: 36515116 PMCID: PMC9748779 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Traits that exhibit differences between the sexes have been of special interest in the study of phenotypic evolution. Classic hypotheses explain sexually dimorphic traits via intra-sexual competition and mate selection, yet natural selection may also act differentially on the sexes to produce dimorphism. Natural selection can act either through physiological and ecological constraints on one of the sexes, or by modulating the strength of sexual/social selection. This predicts an association between the degree of dimorphism and variation in ecological environments. Here, we characterize the variation in hummingbird dimorphism across ecological gradients using rich databases of morphology, colouration and song. We show that morphological dimorphism decreases with elevation in the understorey and increases with elevation in mixed habitats, that dichromatism increases at high altitudes in open and mixed habitats, and that song is less complex in mixed habitats. Our results are consistent with flight constraints, lower predation pressure at high elevations and with habitat effects on song transmission. We also show that dichromatism and song complexity are positively associated, while tail dimorphism and song complexity are negatively associated. Our results suggest that key ecological factors shape sexually dimorphic traits, and that different communication modalities do not always evolve in tandem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego F. Beltrán
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Marcelo Araya-Salas
- Centro de Investigación en Neurociencias, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Juan L. Parra
- Grupo de Ecología y Evolución de Vertebrados, Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - F. Gary Stiles
- Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | - Alejandro Rico-Guevara
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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Hewes AE, Cuban D, Groom DJE, Sargent AJ, Beltrán DF, Rico-Guevara A. Variable evidence for convergence in morphology and function across avian nectarivores. J Morphol 2022; 283:1483-1504. [PMID: 36062802 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Nectar-feeding birds provide an excellent system in which to examine form-function relationships over evolutionary time. There are many independent origins of nectarivory in birds, and nectar feeding is a lifestyle with many inherent biophysical constraints. We review the morphology and function of the feeding apparatus, the locomotor apparatus, and the digestive and renal systems across avian nectarivores with the goals of synthesizing available information and identifying the extent to which different aspects of anatomy have morphologically and functionally converged. In doing so, we have systematically tabulated the occurrence of putative adaptations to nectarivory across birds and created what is, to our knowledge, the first comprehensive summary of adaptations to nectarivory across body systems and taxa. We also provide the first phylogenetically informed estimate of the number of times nectarivory has evolved within Aves. Based on this synthesis of existing knowledge, we identify current knowledge gaps and provide suggestions for future research questions and methods of data collection that will increase our understanding of the distribution of adaptations across bodily systems and taxa, and the relationship between those adaptations and ecological and evolutionary factors. We hope that this synthesis will serve as a landmark for the current state of the field, prompting investigators to begin collecting new data and addressing questions that have heretofore been impossible to answer about the ecology, evolution, and functional morphology of avian nectarivory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda E Hewes
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - David Cuban
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Derrick J E Groom
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Alyssa J Sargent
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Diego F Beltrán
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Alejandro Rico-Guevara
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, Washington, USA
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10
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Bird pollination. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R1059-R1060. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.06.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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11
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McCarren S, Midgley JJ, Johnson SD. Biomechanics of nectar feeding explain flower orientation in plants pollinated by long-proboscid flies. Naturwissenschaften 2022; 109:47. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-022-01817-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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Falk JJ, Rubenstein DR, Rico-Guevara A, Webster MS. Intersexual social dominance mimicry drives female hummingbird polymorphism. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220332. [PMID: 36069013 PMCID: PMC9449474 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Female-limited polymorphisms, where females have multiple forms but males have only one, have been described in a variety of animals, yet are difficult to explain because selection typically is expected to decrease rather than maintain diversity. In the white-necked jacobin (Florisuga mellivora), all males and approximately 20% of females express an ornamented plumage type (androchromic), while other females are non-ornamented (heterochromic). Androchrome females benefit from reduced social harassment, but it remains unclear why both morphs persist. Female morphs may represent balanced alternative behavioural strategies, but an alternative hypothesis is that androchrome females are mimicking males. Here, we test a critical prediction of these hypotheses by measuring morphological, physiological and behavioural traits that relate to resource-holding potential (RHP), or competitive ability. In all these traits, we find little difference between female types, but higher RHP in males. These results, together with previous findings in this species, indicate that androchrome females increase access to food resources through mimicry of more aggressive males. Importantly, the mimicry hypothesis provides a clear theoretical pathway for polymorphism maintenance through frequency-dependent selection. Social dominance mimicry, long suspected to operate between species, can therefore also operate within species, leading to polymorphism and perhaps similarities between sexes more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay J. Falk
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 215 Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, República de Panamá
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Dustin R. Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology and Center for Integrative Animal Behavior, Columbia University, 1200 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Alejandro Rico-Guevara
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Ornithology Division, 4300 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Michael S. Webster
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, 215 Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
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13
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Boehm MMA, Guevara‐Apaza D, Jankowski JE, Cronk QCB. Floral phenology of an Andean bellflower and pollination by buff-tailed sicklebill hummingbird. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8988. [PMID: 35784085 PMCID: PMC9168340 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Andean bellflowers comprise an explosive radiation correlated with shifts to specialized pollination. One diverse clade has evolved with extremely curved floral tubes and is predicted to be pollinated exclusively by one of two parapatric species of sicklebill hummingbirds (Eutoxeres). In this study, we focused on the floral biology of Centropogon granulosus, a bellflower thought to be specialized for pollination by Eutoxeres condamini, in a montane cloud forest site in southeastern Peru. Using camera traps and a pollination exclusion experiment, we documented E. condamini as the sole pollinator of C. granulosus. Visitation by E. condamini was necessary for fruit development. Flowering rates were unequivocally linear and conformed to the "steady-state" phenological type. Over the course of >1800 h of monitoring, we recorded 12 E. condamini visits totaling 42 s, indicating traplining behavior. As predicted by its curved flowers, C. granulosus is exclusively pollinated by buff-tailed sicklebill within our study area. We present evidence for the congruence of phenology and visitation as a driver of specialization in this highly diverse clade of Andean bellflowers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mannfred M. A. Boehm
- Department of BotanyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Biodiversity Research CentreUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - David Guevara‐Apaza
- Facultad de Ciencias BiológicasUniversidad San Antonio Abad del CuscoCuscoPeru
| | - Jill E. Jankowski
- Biodiversity Research CentreUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Quentin C. B. Cronk
- Department of BotanyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Biodiversity Research CentreUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
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14
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Tunes P, Dötterl S, Guimarães E. Florivory and Pollination Intersection: Changes in Floral Trait Expression Do Not Discourage Hummingbird Pollination. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:813418. [PMID: 35432434 PMCID: PMC9006511 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.813418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Many flowers are fed on by florivores, but we know little about if and how feeding on flowers affects their visual and chemical advertisement and nectar resource, which could disrupt pollination. Here, we investigated if damages caused by florivores compromise a Neotropical hummingbird pollination system, by modifying the floral advertisements and the nectar resource. We surveyed natural florivory levels and patterns, examined short-term local effects of floral damages caused by the most common florivore, a caterpillar, on floral outline, intra-floral colour pattern and floral scent, as well as on the amount of nectar. Following, we experimentally tested if the most severe florivory pattern affected hummingbird pollination. The feeding activity of the most common florivore did not alter the intra-floral colour pattern, floral scent, and nectar volume, but changed the corolla outline. However, this change did not affect hummingbird pollination. Despite visual floral cues being important for foraging in hummingbirds, our results emphasise that changes in the corolla outline had a neutral effect on pollination, allowing the maintenance of florivore-plant-pollinator systems without detriment to any partner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Tunes
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences (Botany), Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Plant-Animal Interactions, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Stefan Dötterl
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Elza Guimarães
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Plant-Animal Interactions, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil
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15
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Cuban D, Hewes AE, Sargent AJ, Groom DJE, Rico-Guevara A. On the feeding biomechanics of nectarivorous birds. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274052. [PMID: 35048977 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Nectar-feeding birds employ unique mechanisms to collect minute liquid rewards hidden within floral structures. In recent years, techniques developed to study drinking mechanisms in hummingbirds have prepared the groundwork for investigating nectar feeding across birds. In most avian nectarivores, fluid intake mechanisms are understudied or simply unknown beyond hypotheses based on their morphological traits, such as their tongues, which are semi-tubular in sunbirds, frayed-tipped in honeyeaters and brush-tipped in lorikeets. Here, we use hummingbirds as a case study to identify and describe the proposed drinking mechanisms to examine the role of those peculiar traits, which will help to disentangle nectar-drinking hypotheses for other groups. We divide nectar drinking into three stages: (1) liquid collection, (2) offloading of aliquots into the mouth and (3) intraoral transport to where the fluid can be swallowed. Investigating the entire drinking process is crucial to fully understand how avian nectarivores feed; nectar-feeding not only involves the collection of nectar with the tongue, but also includes the mechanisms necessary to transfer and move the liquid through the bill and into the throat. We highlight the potential for modern technologies in comparative anatomy [such as microcomputed tomography (μCT) scanning] and biomechanics (such as tracking BaSO4-stained nectar via high-speed fluoroscopy) to elucidate how disparate clades have solved this biophysical puzzle through parallel, convergent or alternative solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Cuban
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Ornithology Department, 4300 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Amanda E Hewes
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Ornithology Department, 4300 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Alyssa J Sargent
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Ornithology Department, 4300 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Derrick J E Groom
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Alejandro Rico-Guevara
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Ornithology Department, 4300 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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16
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Leimberger KG, Dalsgaard B, Tobias JA, Wolf C, Betts MG. The evolution, ecology, and conservation of hummingbirds and their interactions with flowering plants. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:923-959. [PMID: 35029017 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The ecological co-dependency between plants and hummingbirds is a classic example of a mutualistic interaction: hummingbirds rely on floral nectar to fuel their rapid metabolisms, and more than 7000 plant species rely on hummingbirds for pollination. However, threats to hummingbirds are mounting, with 10% of 366 species considered globally threatened and 60% in decline. Despite the important ecological implications of these population declines, no recent review has examined plant-hummingbird interactions in the wider context of their evolution, ecology, and conservation. To provide this overview, we (i) assess the extent to which plants and hummingbirds have coevolved over millions of years, (ii) examine the mechanisms underlying plant-hummingbird interaction frequencies and hummingbird specialization, (iii) explore the factors driving the decline of hummingbird populations, and (iv) map out directions for future research and conservation. We find that, despite close associations between plants and hummingbirds, acquiring evidence for coevolution (versus one-sided adaptation) is difficult because data on fitness outcomes for both partners are required. Thus, linking plant-hummingbird interactions to plant reproduction is not only a major avenue for future coevolutionary work, but also for studies of interaction networks, which rarely incorporate pollinator effectiveness. Nevertheless, over the past decade, a growing body of literature on plant-hummingbird networks suggests that hummingbirds form relationships with plants primarily based on overlapping phenologies and trait-matching between bill length and flower length. On the other hand, species-level specialization appears to depend primarily on local community context, such as hummingbird abundance and nectar availability. Finally, although hummingbirds are commonly viewed as resilient opportunists that thrive in brushy habitats, we find that range size and forest dependency are key predictors of hummingbird extinction risk. A critical direction for future research is to examine how potential stressors - such as habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, and introduction of non-native plants - may interact to affect hummingbirds and the plants they pollinate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara G Leimberger
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, 3100 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Bo Dalsgaard
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, Copenhagen Ø, 2100, Denmark
| | - Joseph A Tobias
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, U.K
| | - Christopher Wolf
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, 3100 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Matthew G Betts
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, 3100 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
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Sargent AJ, Groom DJE, Rico-Guevara A. Locomotion and Energetics of Divergent Foraging Strategies in Hummingbirds: A Review. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:736-748. [PMID: 34113992 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hummingbirds have two main foraging strategies: territoriality (defending a patch of flowers) and traplining (foraging over routine circuits of isolated patches). Species are often classified as employing one or the other. Not only have these strategies been inconsistently defined within the behavioral literature, but this simple framework also neglects the substantial evidence for flexible foraging behavior displayed by hummingbirds. Despite these limitations, research on hummingbird foraging has explored the distinct avenues of selection that proponents of either strategy presumably face: trapliners maximizing foraging efficiency, and territorialists favoring speed and maneuverability for resource defense. In earlier studies, these functions were primarily examined through wing disc loading (ratio of body weight to the circular area swept out by the wings, WDL) and predicted hovering costs, with trapliners expected to exhibit lower WDL than territorialists and thus lower hovering costs. While these pioneering models continue to play a role in current research, early studies were constrained by modest technology, and the original expectations regarding WDL have not held up when applied across complex hummingbird assemblages. Current technological advances have allowed for innovative research on the biomechanics/energetics of hummingbird flight, such as allometric scaling relationships (e.g., wing area-flight performance) and the link between high burst lifting performance and territoriality. Providing a predictive framework based on these relationships will allow us to reexamine previous hypotheses, and explore the biomechanical trade-offs to different foraging strategies, which may yield divergent routes of selection for quintessential territoriality and traplining. With a biomechanical and morphofunctional lens, here we examine the locomotor and energetic facets that dictate hummingbird foraging, and provide (a) predictions regarding the behavioral, biomechanical, and morphofunctional associations with territoriality and traplining; and (b) proposed methods of testing them. By pursuing these knowledge gaps, future research could use a variety of traits to help clarify the operational definitions of territoriality and traplining, to better apply them in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Sargent
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, 24 Kincaid Hall, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, 4300 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - D J E Groom
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, 24 Kincaid Hall, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, 4300 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - A Rico-Guevara
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, 24 Kincaid Hall, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, 4300 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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