Continent‐wide patterns of song variation predicted by classical rules of biogeography

Autor: Matteo Sebastianelli, Sifiso M. Lukhele, Emmanuel C. Nwankwo, Louis Hadjioannou, Alexander N. G. Kirschel
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Ecology Letters. 25:2448-2462
ISSN: 1461-0248
1461-023X
DOI: 10.1111/ele.14102
Popis: Physiological constraints related to atmospheric temperature pose a limit to body and appendage size in endothermic animals. This relationship has been summarised by two classical principles of biogeography: Bergmann's and Allen's rules. Body size may also constrain other phenotypic traits important in ecology, evolution and behaviour, and such effects have seldom been investigated at a continental scale. Through a multilevel-modelling approach, we demonstrate that continent-wide morphology of related African barbets follows predictions of Bergmann's rule, and that body size mirrors variation in song pitch, an acoustic trait important in species recognition and sexual selection. Specifically, effects on song frequency in accordance with Bergmann's rule dwarf those of acoustic adaptation at a continental scale. Our findings suggest that macroecological patterns of body size can influence phenotypic traits important in ecology and evolution, and provide a baseline for further studies on the effects of environmental change on bird song.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz: