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Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
A Virtual Phytosaur Endocast And Its Implications For Sensory System Evolution In Archosaurs, Waymon Holloway
A Virtual Phytosaur Endocast And Its Implications For Sensory System Evolution In Archosaurs, Waymon Holloway
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Due to the overall morphological similarities between the Triassic archosaurs of the order Phytosauria and extant crocodilians, most studies have assumed that the two shared similar lifestyles. Many studies involving phytosaurs have focused on the external cranial morphology of various taxa. Internal cranial anatomy has received relatively little attention. As a result, comparative morphology studies of the braincases interior, or endocast, of phytosaurs are an area of potential exploration. Just as modern medical Xray computed tomography (CT) can be used to create three-dimensional images of internal structures of living subjects, such technology offers a non-invasive means of studying the internal …
Darwin's Other Idea : Sexual Selection, Gender And Violence, Robert Samuel Moschgat
Darwin's Other Idea : Sexual Selection, Gender And Violence, Robert Samuel Moschgat
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
This dissertation provides an empirical exploration of Darwin's theory of sexual selection, which views the male propensity to engage in short term mating strategies--sexual promiscuity and violence--as the result of sexual selection. Within an environmental context, biological father and mother household presence are expected to inhibit the initiation of short-term mating strategies and increase parental investment--paternal and maternal attachments, supervision, and protection. Whereas, structural disadvantage--living in poverty and in dangerous neighborhoods--is predicted to increase the initiation of a short-term mating strategies and compromise the parents' ability to protect their children and by weakening paternal and maternal attachments, thereby increasing the …
The Importance Of Disease And Behavior In Mammalian Ecology And Behavior, Christopher R. Collins
The Importance Of Disease And Behavior In Mammalian Ecology And Behavior, Christopher R. Collins
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Causes of mortality reflect the evolutionary forces shaping the physiology and behavior of species. To evaluate the relative importance of these in North American Mammals I compared published data from 69 populations across 27 species. Of the known causes, humans are the main cause of mortality (51.8%), followed by natural causes (48.5%), with predation being the largest natural cause. Populations in remote areas experienced higher hunting mortality, and those closer to human populations suffered increased vehicle collision. Predation mortality was negatively correlated with body mass.