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Full-Text Articles in Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Dynamics Of Avian Elevational Ranges Reveal Hidden Evolutionary Forces, Chauncey Gadek
Dynamics Of Avian Elevational Ranges Reveal Hidden Evolutionary Forces, Chauncey Gadek
Biology ETDs
The distribution of life across the Andes mountains reflects historical elevational-range contraction and expansion. Whereas contraction implies specialization, expansion requires overcoming hidden barriers. Three eco-evolutionary phenomena may drive patterns in rates of elevational range evolution: (1) The Dobzhansky-MacArthur Phenomenon (DMP) predicts lower rates of upward expansion with harsher physical conditions, while downward expansion increases with lower diversity; (2) the evolutionary tendency toward specialization predicts contraction increases when ranges are broad; and (3) natural selection for respiratory performance could suppress expansion across mid-elevations due to gene-environment mismatch. We modeled elevational range shifts of Neotropical landbirds. Contrary to the DMP, upward expansion …
Trait Evolution In Spiders: Perspectives On The Evolution Of Behavioral Syndromes And Web Structures, Jennifer Marie Bosco
Trait Evolution In Spiders: Perspectives On The Evolution Of Behavioral Syndromes And Web Structures, Jennifer Marie Bosco
Doctoral Dissertations
Organisms have evolved complex behavioral, morphological and physiological traits in response to various selection pressures. These phenotypes are usually composed of many traits that may or may not be genetically or phenotypically correlated. Correlations of both types can lead to evolutionary trade-offs, which may be broken over long evolutionary time periods through such mechanisms as the decoupling of genetic linkages and the development of phenotypic plasticity. Behavioral traits associated with temperament provide an excellent system in which to evaluate underlying mechanisms of the establishment and decoupling of genetic linkages. Other traits, such as the type of web that a spider …
The Complexity-Independence Of The Origin Of Life, Radu Popa
The Complexity-Independence Of The Origin Of Life, Radu Popa
Systems Science Friday Noon Seminar Series
It is often stated that the macroevolution of life is driven toward increased Complexity, and indeed, biosystems situated at higher evolutionary level show higher levels of Complexity. Yet, evidence also shows that some dynamic systems evolve toward lower entropy states, and not by increasing Complexity, but by increasing Organization. Organization is a parameter with two almost orthogonal components: Order and Complexity. Hence, it is possible for a dynamic system to experience changes in Organization in ways that do not elicit changes in Complexity. Whether Order or Complexity controls changes in Organization is dictated by the capacity of a system to …