Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Population Biology
The Joint Effect Of Phenotypic Variation And Temperature On Predator-Prey Interactions, Jean P. Gibert
The Joint Effect Of Phenotypic Variation And Temperature On Predator-Prey Interactions, Jean P. Gibert
School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Understanding the factors underpinning to food web structure and stability is a long-standing issue in ecology. This is particularly important in a context of global climate change, where rising environmental temperatures may impact the way species interact, potentially leading to changes in food web structure and to secondary extinctions resulting from cascading effects. In order to understand and predict these changes, we need to hone our comprehension on the way predators and their prey interact. Recent studies suggest that, in order to do so, we need to focus on the traits controlling those interactions, such as body size. Mean body …
Population And Morphological Changes In American Kestrels Through Space And Time, Teresa E. Ely
Population And Morphological Changes In American Kestrels Through Space And Time, Teresa E. Ely
School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
A once common raptor, the American kestrel (Falco sparverius) has experienced population declines in the last two decades throughout North America. Many hypotheses exist about the decline, including mortality from West Nile virus, rodenticide poisoning, climate change, an increase in predators, and core habitat loss or degradation, which could influence food availability. Food availability is key to raptor survival and reproduction, and changes in food availability throughout the year can have lifelong effects on size and body condition. Here we examine how morphology, specifically mass and wing chord, has changed at seven migration sites throughout North America as …