Postdoctoral Fellow
I am a behavioral ecologist specialized in the field of animal communication. My research program combines empirical and theoretical work and spans different levels of analysis. An important goal of my NESCent project is the development of a general modeling framework in which communication behaviors are viewed as evolving norms of reaction. This novel approach has allowed me to explore fundamental, yet little-known aspects of the evolutionary dynamics of communication. For example, I am currently studying the mechanisms behind the evolution of individual variation in communication strategies and the link between this process and the evolution of personality in animals.
During my stay at NESCent I have also taken advantage of the tremendous in-house expertise on phylogenetic and comparative methods to develop a series of projects that explore the effects of climatic niches on biological processes. For example, in collaboration with colleagues at Cornell University, I recently showed that birds living in more variable and unpredictable environments tend to have more elaborate sexual displays.
Please visit my personal website to learn more about me and my research: http://duke.edu/~cb176/
Evolution of conventional signals: from individuals to populations and back
| PI(s): | Carlos A. Botero |
| Start Date: | 1-Jan-2009 |
| End Date: | 31-Dec-2011 |
| Keywords: | behavior, communication, evolutionary theory, climate change |
I am a behavioral ecologist specialized in the field of animal communication. My research program combines empirical and theoretical work and spans different levels of analysis. An important goal of my NESCent project is the development of a general modeling framework in which communication behaviors are viewed as evolving norms of reaction. This novel approach has allowed me to explore fundamental, yet little-known aspects of the evolutionary dynamics of communication. For example, I am currently studying the mechanisms behind the evolution of individual variation in communication strategies and the link between this process and the evolution of personality in animals.During my stay at NESCent I have also taken advantage of the tremendous in-house expertise on phylogenetic and comparative methods to develop a series of projects that explore the effects of climatic niches on biological processes. For example, in collaboration with colleagues at Cornell University, I recently showed that birds living in more variable and unpredictable environments tend to have more elaborate sexual displays.
Please visit my personal website to learn more about me and my research: http://duke.edu/~cb176/
Related products
Publications- Fluctuating environments, sexual selection, and the evolution of flexible mate choice in birds Botero, C.A. (2012). Fluctuating environments, sexual selection, and the evolution of flexible mate choice in birds. PLoS ONE, 7(2), e32311. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0032311
- Phylogenetic Relationships of the Mockingbirds and Thrashers (Aves: Mimidae) Lovette IJ, Arbogast BS, Curry RL, Zink RM, Botero CA, Sullivan JP, Talaba AL, Harris RB, Rubenstein DR, Ricklefs RE, and E Bermingham (2011). Phylogenetic Relationships of the Mockingbirds and Thrashers (Aves: Mimidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. In press
- The evolution of individual variation in communication strategies Botero, C. A., Pen, I., Komdeur, J. and Weissing, F. J. (2010), The evolution of individual variation in communication strategies. Evolution, 64: 3123â3133. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.01065.x
- Variable environments, fluctuating selection, and why we are the way we are Botero, CA, 29 Nov 2010, Variable environments, fluctuating selection, and why we are the way we are, University of Maryland, College Park
- High resource valuation fuels ""desperado"" fighting tactics in female jumping spiders Elias, D.O., C.A. Botero, M.C.B. Andrade, A.C. Mason, and M.M. Kasumovic (2010). High resource valuation fuels desperado fighting tactics in female jumping spiders. Behavioral Ecology 21(4): 868-875.
- Climatic Patterns Predict the Elaboration of Song Displays in Mockingbirds Botero, C.A., N.J. Boogert, S.L. Vehrencamp, and I.J. Lovette (2009). Climatic Patterns Predict the Elaboration of Song Displays in Mockingbirds. Current Biology 19: 1-5.
- Trill consistency is an age-related assessment signal in banded wrens de Kort, S.R., E.R.B. Eldermire, S. Valderrama, C.A. Botero, and S.L. Vehrencamp (2009). Trill consistency is an age-related assessment signal in banded wrens. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 276(1665): 2315-2321.
- Botero, CA. 20 Nov 2009. Individual-based simulations for the study of animal communication. North Carolina State University (hosted by the labs of Rob Dunn, Kevin Gross, and Nick Haddad)
- Botero, C. A. 2009. Plenary talk: Genetic algorithms and philogenetic methods for the study of the evolution of communication in animals. II Symposium of the Colombian Network of Evolutionary Biologists. Cali, Colombia.
- Botero, CA. 2009. Climatic variability may explain why good learners are sexy beasts. Duke University. BPCE seminar.
- Botero C. A. 2009. Climatic patterns Predict the elaboration of song displays in mockingbirds. American Ornithologists' Union Symposium: From phylogeny to physiology: integrative studies of starlings and mockingbirds. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
- Botero CA. 21 April 2009. Talk: The Evolution of Individual Variation in Communication Strategies. Duke University, Durham NC.
- Botero CA. 20 Feb 2009. Talk: The Evolution of Individual Variation in Communication Strategies. UNC Chapel Hill, NC.
- Botero CA. 11 Feb 2009. Talk: The Evolution of Individual Variation in Communication Strategies. U Michigan, Ann Arbor.
- Botero, CA (Sep 2011)Climate change, fluctuating selection and the evolution of adaptive flexibility. East Carolina State University. Departmental Seminar (Biology)
- Botero, CA and DR Rubenstein (2011) Variable environments, fluctuating selection and the stability of breeding partnerships in birds. Talk presented at Evolution 2011 (Norman, OK) and Behavior 2011 (Bloomington, IN)
- Botero, CA 22 Nov 2010. Environmental and individual variation as agents of selection in the evolution of animal communication. Departamental seminar for the College of Charleston. Charleston NC
- Jenkins, K., February 2010. NESCent Podcast: Speciation in real time.
- Botero, C. A. March 1, 2010. Phylogenetics and the study of animal communication. Institut fur OÂkologie und Evolution, University of Bern. Switzerland.
- Unknown 2009. Hard times make birds better singers. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC Science.
- Smith, R.A. 2009. Mockingbirds in fickle climes sing fancier tunes. Duke University Office of News and Communications.
- Millius, S. 2009. For some birds, chancy climates mean better singers. Science News 175(13): 8.
- Kessler, M. 2009. Mockingbirds: the tougher the weather, the better they sing. USA Today.
- Holden, C. 2009. It's fit to be smart. Science Magazine.
- Holden, C. 2009. Brainy birds get more chicks. Science Magazine.
- Hirson, B. 2009. Science Update Radio Interview (AAAS). Climate-enhanced bird songs.
- Gill, V. 2009. Songbirds sing cross-species duet. BBC News.
- Gill, V. 2009. Climate link to mockingbird songs. BBC News. Also ran in the Herald de Paris: http://www.heralddeparis.com/climate-link-to-mockingbird-songs/36495
- Conroy, M. 2009. How geeks get girls. Wired Magazine.
- Cane, A. 2009. Bird song linked to survival. Financial Times.
- Callaway, E. 2009. Why geeks get the girls. New Scientist.
- Alleyne, R. 2009. Birds are better at singing in the rain - and the cold. Daily Telegraph, UK.
- Unknown. 2009. Animal behaviour: Singing in the Rain. Nature 459: 487. doi:10.1038/459487b; Published online 27 May 2009
- 2012. Why we cheat: Bird mating habits used to explain infidelity in new study. Huffington Post.
- 2012. Unpredictable weather makes birds unfaithful. The Globe and Mail.
- 2012. In uncertain climates, birds will sleep around. MSNBC.
- 2012. In shifty climates, birds sleep around. Discovery News.
- 2012. Climate change increases mate-swapping in birds. Scientific American.
- 2012. Changes in weather add to birds' marital woes. New York Times.
- 2011. Climate for divorce. Science News.
- Smith, R. 2010. Desperate female spiders fight by different rules. U.S. News and World Report.
- Smith, R. 2010. Desperate female spiders fight by different rules. Eurekalert.
- Madrigal, A. 2010. Male spiders are all bark, female spiders fight to kill. Wired Science.
- Gill, V. Blueprint of the songbird genome. BBC News
