Behavioral, morphological, and ecological trait evolution in two clades of New World Sparrows (Aimophila and Peucaea, Passerellidae)

PeerJ

James D. Rising¹  Nicholas A. Mason²  Carla Cicero²  Lauryn Benedict³ 

[1] Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada;Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America;School of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, United States of America;

关键词: Trait evolution;    Behavior;    Phenotype;    Habitat;    Phylogenetic signal;    Avian duets;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.9249

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The New World sparrows (Passerellidae) are a large, diverse group of songbirds that vary in morphology, behavior, and ecology. Thus, they are excellent for studying trait evolution in a phylogenetic framework. We examined lability versus conservatism in morphological and behavioral traits in two related clades of sparrows (Aimophila, Peucaea), and assessed whether habitat has played an important role in trait evolution. We first inferred a multi-locus phylogeny which we used to reconstruct ancestral states, and then quantified phylogenetic signal among morphological and behavioral traits in these clades and in New World sparrows more broadly. Behavioral traits have a stronger phylogenetic signal than morphological traits. Specifically, vocal duets and song structure are the most highly conserved traits, and nesting behavior appears to be maintained within clades. Furthermore, we found a strong correlation between open habitat and unpatterned plumage, complex song, and ground nesting. However, even within lineages that share the same habitat type, species vary in nesting, plumage pattern, song complexity, and duetting. Our findings highlight trade-offs between behavior, morphology, and ecology in sparrow diversification.

【 授权许可】

Unknown