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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Foraging Ecology, Sexual Selection, And Divergence In Sunfish (Lepomis Spp.), Scott F. Colborne
Foraging Ecology, Sexual Selection, And Divergence In Sunfish (Lepomis Spp.), Scott F. Colborne
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
The origins of novel traits and their contribution to biodiversity have long been of interest to biologists. My research focused on the links between foraging ecology and both natural and sexual selection, and how these mechanisms interact to shape the phenotypic diversification of natural populations. Using bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus), I examined three major questions: 1) how are diet and morphological variation related to alternative reproductive tactics in bluegill; 2) are sexual selection and disruptive selection driving divergence between foraging ecomorphs in pumpkinseed; and 3) how are human-induced changes to prey communities …
The Role Of Morphology In Diet And Flower Visitation By Five Species Of Cuban Flower-Visiting Bats, Lindsey Clairmont
The Role Of Morphology In Diet And Flower Visitation By Five Species Of Cuban Flower-Visiting Bats, Lindsey Clairmont
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Pollinator and flower morphology are important factors in structuring the plant-pollinator relationship. A pollinator’s morphology may influence aspects of its diet. Flower-visiting bats are an important pollinator group but very little is known about what influences their interactions with food plants. I examined the role of morphology in the partitioning of food resources for five species of flower-visiting Cuban bats. I analyzed cranial traits and body size to examine differences among species and to determine the degree of morphological specialization for flower-feeding for each species. I also collected dietary data from guano and used acoustic monitoring to assess bat activity …