Graduate Fellow
Islands, as test tubes for evolution, are an important source of information about the factors influencing evolutionary processes. One of the most recognizable processes on islands is the tendency for mainland species to undergo dramatic body size changes. Although originally noted for mammals, there are now examples of insular size change in reptiles, birds, insects and even plants. A wide variety of hypotheses have been put forth to explain this trend, but previous studies have often focused on single explanatory variables within a narrow taxonomic group, making it difficult to make generalizations about the underlying processes resulting in this change. The aim of my project is to take a broader approach to the question, taking into account multiple factors and multiple taxonomic groups to develop a more inclusive approach to the study of insular body size evolution. To determine the generality and strength of patterns seen in insular size change across taxa, I will review the primary literature and conduct a phylogenetically-controlled meta-analysis. Then, to look more closely at the factors influencing size change, I will utilize classification trees, an increasingly popular method in ecology, to examine insular size trends in mammals, one of the better studied island groups.
Evaluating patterns and trends in insular body size evolution
PI(s): | Paul Durst (Duke University) |
Start Date: | 23-Aug-2010 |
End Date: | 10-Dec-2010 |
Keywords: | biogeography, meta-analysis, life histories |
Islands, as test tubes for evolution, are an important source of information about the factors influencing evolutionary processes. One of the most recognizable processes on islands is the tendency for mainland species to undergo dramatic body size changes. Although originally noted for mammals, there are now examples of insular size change in reptiles, birds, insects and even plants. A wide variety of hypotheses have been put forth to explain this trend, but previous studies have often focused on single explanatory variables within a narrow taxonomic group, making it difficult to make generalizations about the underlying processes resulting in this change. The aim of my project is to take a broader approach to the question, taking into account multiple factors and multiple taxonomic groups to develop a more inclusive approach to the study of insular body size evolution. To determine the generality and strength of patterns seen in insular size change across taxa, I will review the primary literature and conduct a phylogenetically-controlled meta-analysis. Then, to look more closely at the factors influencing size change, I will utilize classification trees, an increasingly popular method in ecology, to examine insular size trends in mammals, one of the better studied island groups.
Related products
Publications- Unravelling the determinants of insular body size shifts McClain CR, Durst PAP, Boyer AG, Francis CD. 2013 Unravelling the determinants of insular body size shifts. Biol Lett 9: 20120989. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2012.0989
- Classification Tree Methods Provide a Multifactorial Approach to Predicting Insular Body Size Evolution in Rodents Durst, P.A.P., & Roth, V.L. (2012). Classification tree methods provide a multifactorial approach to predicting insular body size evolution in rodents. American Naturalist, (179(4), 545-553. doi: 10.1086/664611