Role of ecological and evolutionary processes in structuring global river bird assemblages

生态和进化过程在构建全球河流鸟类群落中的作用

• 批准号: EP/Y010612/1
• 负责人: Gavin Thomas
• 金额: $ 25.55万
• 依托单位: University of Sheffield
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FY010612%2F1
• 关键词: Role; ecological; evolutionary; processes; structuring

Rivers and their riparian zones present a unique context to study the effect of selective pressures in structuring species assemblages and discerning the key processes driving them. These linear ecosystems provide land-water interface habitats prone to natural disturbance regimes that result in challenging living conditions. A few bird species have specialized to live exclusively along the margins of high energy montane rivers with richness peaking in areas of high productivity and topographic relief. Current understanding of species distribution patterns and assembly patterns depends on modelling environmental and climatic correlates without accounting for historical processes. BAIRS aims at an understanding of the relative roles of historical contingency, environmental filtering and adaptation as drivers of community assembly in specialist riverine birds of the world. To achieve this, BAIRS will analyse the historical diversification, lineage persistance and range dynamics of riverine birds. I will analyse morphological, colour and acoustic trait space to undermine key adaptations in foraging and mate signaling strategies to reveal the role of adaptation and convergence in the evolution of a riverine lifestyle in birds. I will assess how past glaciation events and refugias have played a role in driving divergence and dispersal events thus facilitating only a few species of birds with unique traits to specialize for a life dependent on riverine areas globally. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, findings from BAIRS will inform conservation prioritization in an ecosystem that is highly threatened through an in depth understanding of a group which is highly visible and vocal. During this project, I will gain expertise in models of morphological evolution, experience in advanced analytical skills and open science practices, mentorship, teaching that will improve my career prospects and foster my growth as an independent researcher.

河流及其河岸区提出了一个独特的背景，以研究选择性压力在构建物种组合和辨别驱动它们的关键过程中的效果。这些线性生态系统提供了容易发生自然干扰制度的土地水界面栖息地，这会带来挑战性的生活条件。一些鸟类的物种专门沿着高能量蒙塔尼河的边缘独家生活，在高生产率和地形浮雕的领域中达到了丰富的峰值。当前对物种分布模式和组装模式的理解取决于建模环境和气候相关，而无需考虑历史过程。 Bairs旨在理解历史意外，环境过滤和适应的相对作用，作为世界专业河流鸟类鸟类的驱动因素。为了实现这一目标，Bairs将分析河流鸟类的历史多元化，谱系持久性和范围动态。我将分析形态学，颜色和声学性状空间，以破坏觅食和伴侣信号传导策略的关键适应，以揭示适应性和融合在鸟类生活方式进化中的作用。我将评估过去的冰川事件和雷德吉亚如何在推动分歧和分散事件中发挥作用，从而促进只有几种具有独特特征的鸟类，可以专门研究依赖于全球河流地区的生活。采用跨学科的方法，Bairs的发现将在生态系统中为保护优先级提供信息，该生态系统通过对高度可见和声音的群体的深入了解而受到高度威胁。在此项目中，我将获得形态发展模型，先进分析技能和开放科学实践的经验，指导，教学的专业知识，这些教学将改善我的职业前景并促进我作为独立研究人员的成长。