Download or read book Testing Patterns and Processes of Diversification of a South American Group of Land Mammels Rodentia Cricetidae Sigmodontinae written by Guillermo D'Elía and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Dissertation Abstracts International written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 776 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Mammals of South America Volume 2 written by James L. Patton and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2015-03-09 with total page 1363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The second installment in a planned three-volume series, this book provides the first substantive review of South American rodents published in over fifty years. Increases in the reach of field research and the variety of field survey methods, the introduction of bioinformatics, and the explosion of molecular-based genetic methodologies have all contributed to the revision of many phylogenetic relationships and to a doubling of the recognized diversity of South American rodents. The largest and most diverse mammalian order on Earth—and an increasingly threatened one—Rodentia is also of great ecological importance, and Rodents is both a timely and exhaustive reference on these ubiquitous creatures. From spiny mice and guinea pigs to the oversized capybara, this book covers all native rodents of South America, the continental islands of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean Netherlands off the Venezuelan coast. It includes identification keys and descriptions of all genera and species; comments on distribution; maps of localities; discussions of subspecies; and summaries of natural, taxonomic, and nomenclatural history. Rodents also contains a detailed list of cited literature and a separate gazetteer based on confirmed identifications from museum vouchers and the published literature.
Download or read book Bones Clones and Biomes written by Bruce D. Patterson and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2012-06-05 with total page 427 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Bones, clones and biomes offers an exploration of the development and relationships of the modern mammal fauna through a series of studies that encompass the last 100 million years and all of Latin America and the Carribean." -- Inside dust jacket.
Download or read book Phylogenetic Relationships of Oryzomine Rodents Muroidea Sigmodontinae written by Marcelo Weksler and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this study I provide a phylogenetic hypothesis for the tribe Oryzomyini that can be used to understand the diversification and evolution of this group of rodents and to revise the current generic-level classification. Morphological and molecular data were used for these purposes in combined and separate analyses. Molecular data consisted of partial sequences (1266 bp) from the first exon of the nuclear gene encoding the interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (IRBP); the morphological matrix comprised 99 characters, including 16 integumental characters, 32 skull characters, 29 dental characters, 7 postcranial characters, and 10 characters from the phallus and soft-anatomy systems. I present anatomical descriptions for each character, including delineation of different states observed among oryzomyines. Results of the combined analysis were congruent with the IRBP-only dataset for oryzomyine higher-level relationships. Morphological analyses, although showing discrepancies from the combined or IRBP consensus cladograms and with low nodal support values, recovered several clades similar to the combined and IRBP analyses. Systematics of the tribe and the evolution of a few pivotal characters are discussed in light of the proposed phylogeny. Different taxonomic arrangements for species currently included in the genus Oryzomys are suggested. Finally, I evaluate evolutionary and biogeographic hypotheses that are compatible with our current knowledge on oryzomyine relationships.
Download or read book Morphometric Assessment of Species Groups in the South American Rodent Genus Oxymycterus sigmodontinae with Taxonomic Notes Based on the Analysis of Type Material written by João Alves de Oliveira and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 640 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Diversification in Mammals Studied at Different Taxonomic Scales Using Phylogenetic and Population Genetic Methods written by Jonathan Hughes and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With over 6,000 extant species, mammals have achieved extraordinary diversity over the last 60 million years in terms of their ecology, behaviour, size, and form. More than just a set of phenotypic differences however, this diversification is a series of processes occurring across multiple scales. One can evaluate diversity across taxonomic levels, looking at how species have changed deep in their evolutionary past, and within particular families or genera whose dynamics can vary even among close relatives. Diversification is also a function of geography, with species varying spatially at very large scales across the planet; at specific regions such as islands; or even at very fine scales, looking at variation between neighbouring environments. Finally, this is underpinned by the genetics of a given organism, operating from the level of differences in particular nucleotides, to the sequence and expression of genes, and to how this genetic material is arranged in physical space in the form of chromosomes. In this thesis, I explore the underlying processes of diversification in mammals at multiple scales. From whole orders to single subspecies; from deep time to the last 10,000 years; and from single SNPs to entire chromosomes; mammals have evolved an astonishing degree of diversity. By leveraging phylogenetic and population genetic methods, one can hope to develop a holistic understanding of the processes that underlie that diversity. I start with the beginning of the ``Age of Mammals'' - the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction, and use ancestral state reconstructions to show how it influenced substrate preferences in Mammalia. I then narrow the taxonomic focus to murine rodents and find pervasive patterns of conflict between the phylogenies of species and genes, termed gene tree discordance, suggesting introgression and incomplete lineage sorting have heavily shaped their evolution. The final three chapters focus on house mice, describing their ancestry, inbreeding, and population structure. In particular, chapters 4 and 5 are a study of chromosomal diversification in house mice, testing predictions about how systems of house mice with reduced karyotypes have evolved in the recent past.
Download or read book A Tale of Two Rodents written by Robert A. Boria and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Forecasting how biodiversity will change in the future due to natural and anthropogenic impacts is a primary focus of both ecology and evolutionary biology. By understanding the historical processes influencing the current geographic distribution of biodiversity, we can determine the relative importance of different factors shaping biodiversity, now and in the future. The main question that drove this dissertation: What historical processes led to the current distribution of diversity across the landscape? One omnipresent influence on the geographic distribution of diversity at multiple levels- e.g., genes and species- is climate. Understanding the spatial distributions of intraspecific genetic diversity and the role of climate and climate refugia in evolutionary and ecological processes is important because it shapes species potential for persistence in the face of future climate change. My dissertation focuses on how populations have responded to past climate change, and how the historical distributions and past areas of climate refugia will influence future climate change responses, using mammals as the study system. Studying population histories through time, we can uncover how different populations with similar genetic reservoirs respond differently to the same environmental stressor (climate). Determining how the distribution of intraspecific diversity of North American taxa was directly influenced by climate and landscape changes may illuminate broad-scale patterns of species' responses to other climatic events, or more generally, to barriers impeding or constraining gene flow. My dissertation research utilized an interdisciplinary approach- next generation sequencing; GIS data; ecological modeling; bioinformatics- to understand how historical events have shaped the current distribution of genetic diversity within mammals. My aim was to study how mammal populations respond to climate change through time by determining the range dynamics and potential areas of refugia (Chapter 2 and 3). Understanding the spatial distributions of intraspecific genetic diversity and the role of climate refugia in the evolutionary and ecological processes of populations is important because it may determine their potential for persistence in the face of future climate change. My dissertation examined how two small mammals responded to the glacial cycles of the Pleistocene in North America. First, I determined Neotoma fuscipes has three historical populations in California--two northern and one southern population (Chapter 2). The major split between the northern and southern populations is older than 1.7 million years and occurred in the San Francisco Bay-Delta region, a historically significant region with high lineage diversification in mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. I detected multiple refugia within the species, including several origins of expansions and contractions (particularly with the northern populations). Second, I examined two western lineages within Peromyscus maniculatus and identified three main populations: 1) southern California; 2) a small population nested within the broader Pacific Northwest; 3) the Pacific Northwest through central California and across the Rocky Mountains (Chapter 3). These populations diverged within the last 160,000 years with very little migration, and evidence of recent population expansion. I found evidence for multiple areas of refugia including southeastern Alaska, a known refugia for several mammal species. In order to connect patterns and processes observed in the past with projections of change for the future, I pair my focus on generating empirical genetic & genomic data with different modeling types. Specifically, ecological niche models (ENM) are powerful tools for approximating the abiotically suitable area of a species by comparing environmental conditions at localities where the species occurs with the overall conditions available in the study region. Many ENM studies struggle with small sample sizes, but modeling widely distributed and well-sampled cosmopolitan species raises computational issues as well (Chapter 1). I thus determined the number of localities needed to model the distribution of a cosmopolitan species (Peromyscus maniculatus) with many occurrence records. I discovered when modeling species with a large number of occurrence records, it may not be necessary to use all localities for ENMs and could potentially affect model performance negatively.
Download or read book Neotropical Diversification Patterns and Processes written by Valentí Rull and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-03-30 with total page 816 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a comprehensive overview of the patterns of biodiversity in various neotropical ecosystems, as well as a discussion on their historical biogeographies and underlying diversification processes. All chapters were written by prominent researchers in the fields of tropical biology, molecular ecology, climatology, paleoecology, and geography, producing an outstanding collection of essays, synthetic analyses, and novel investigations that describe and improve our understanding of the biodiversity of this unique region. With chapters on the Amazon and Caribbean forests, the Atlantic rainforests, the Andes, the Cerrado savannahs, the Caatinga drylands, the Chaco, and Mesoamerica – along with broad taxonomic coverage – this book summarizes a wide range of hypotheses, views, and methods concerning the processes and mechanisms of neotropical diversification. The range of perspectives presented makes the book a truly comprehensive, state-of-the-art publication on the topic, which will fascinate both scientists and general readers alike.
Download or read book Evolutionary Relationships among Rodents written by W. Patrick Luckett and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-11 with total page 720 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The order Rodentia is the most abundant and successful group of mammals, and it has been a focal point of attention for compar ative and evolutionary biologists for many years. In addition, rodents are the most commonly used experimental mammals for bio medical research, and they have played a central role in investi gations of the genetic and molecular mechanisms of speciation in mammals. During recent decades, a tremendous amount of new data from various aspects of the biology of living and fossil rodents has been accumulated by specialists from different disciplines, ranging from molecular biology to paleontology. Paradoxically, our understanding of the possible evolutionary relationships among different rodent families, as well as the possible affinities of rodents with other eutherian mammals, has not kept pace with this information "explosion. " This abundance of new biological data has not been incorporated into a broad synthesis of rodent phylo geny, in part because of the difficulty for any single student of rodent evolution to evaluate the phylogenetic significance of new findings from such diverse disciplines as paleontology, embryology, comparative anatomy, molecular biology, and cytogenetics. The origin and subsequent radiation of the order Rodentia were based primarily on the acquisition of a key character complex: specializations of the incisors, cheek teeth, and associated mus culoskeletal features of the jaws and skull for gnawing and chewing.
Download or read book High Altitude Tropical Biogeography written by François Vuilleumier and published by . This book was released on 1986 with total page 682 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: High Altitude Tropical Biogeography provides research workers and academics with a comprehensive overview of the biogeography of high tropical mountains, covering the origin, ecology, and evolution of plants and animals of this unique ecological zone. The climate in the high altitude mountain regions of the tropics is cold, resulting in flora and fauna which more closely resemble their counterparts thousand of miles to the north or south than comparable species in the lowland jungles only a few thousand meters below. These ecological "islands", besides being very important to the economies of the tropics, pose interesting questions of physiological adaptation, biogeography, and evolutionary relationships. With contributions from twenty-four international specialists who have devoted years to the study of cold mountain tropics, this book describes some of the most characteristic plant and animal components of the ecosystem. No other book of this scope and content exists on these tropical biotas.
Download or read book The Atlantic Forest written by Marcia C. M. Marques and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-01-13 with total page 527 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Atlantic Forest is one of the 36 hotspots for biodiversity conservation worldwide. It is a unique, large biome (more than 3000 km in latitude; 2500 in longitude), marked by high biodiversity, high degree of endemic species and, at the same time, extremely threatened. Approximately 70% of the Brazilian population lives in the area of this biome, which makes the conflict between biodiversity conservation and the sustainability of the human population a relevant issue. This book aims to cover: 1) the historical characterization and geographic variation of the biome; 2) the distribution of the diversity of some relevant taxa; 3) the main threats to biodiversity, and 4) possible opportunities to ensure the biodiversity conservation, and the economic and social sustainability. Also, it is hoped that this book can be useful for those involved in the development of public policies aimed at the conservation of this important global biome.
Download or read book Molecular Ecology and Conservation Genetics of Neotropical Mammals written by Maximiliano Nardelli and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-04-02 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although all living beings modify their environment, human beings have acquired the ability to do so on a superlative space-time scale. As a result of industrialization and the use of new technologies, the anthropogenic impact has been increasing in the last centuries, causing reductions in the sizes or the extinction of numerous wild populations. In this sense, from the field of conservation genetics, various efforts have been made in recent decades to provide new knowledge that contributes to the conservation of populations, species, and habitats. In this book, we summarize the concrete contributions of researchers to the conservation of the Neotropical mammals using Molecular Ecology techniques. The book is divided into three major sections. The first section provides an up-to-date review of the conservation status of Neotropical mammals, the applications of the molecular markers in its conservation, and the use of non-invasive and forensic genetic techniques. The second and third sections present, respectively, a series of case studies in various species or taxonomic groups of Neotropical mammals.
Download or read book The Physical Geography of South America written by Thomas T. Veblen and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2015-04-01 with total page 750 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Physical Geography of South America, the eighth volume in the Oxford Regional Environments series, presents an enduring statement on the physical and biogeographic conditions of this remarkable continent and their relationships to human activity. It fills a void in recent environmental literature by assembling a team of specialists from within and beyond South America in order to provide an integrated, cross-disciplinary body of knowledge about this mostly tropical continent, together with its high mountains and temperate southern cone. The authors systematically cover the main components of the South American environment - tectonism, climate, glaciation, natural landscape changes, rivers, vegetation, animals, and soils. The book then presents more specific treatments of regions with special attributes from the tropical forests of the Amazon basin to the Atacama Desert and Patagonian steppe, and from the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Pacific coasts to the high Andes. Additionally, the continents environments are given a human face by evaluating the roles played by people over time, from pre-European and European colonial impacts to the effects of modern agriculture and urbanization, and from interactions with El Niño events to prognoses for the future environments of the continent.
Download or read book Biogeography and Ecology in South America written by E. J. Fittkau and published by . This book was released on 1969 with total page 474 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Patterns and Processes Underlying Genetic Diversity in the Namaqua Rock Mouse Micaelamys Namaquensis Smith 1834 Rodentia written by Issie Magrieta Russo and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: African rock rats of the genera Aethomys Thomas, 1915 and Micaelamys Ellerman, 1941, are endemic to East, Central and southern Africa but extend marginally into West Africa. In the past 16 subspecies have been described in the Namaqua rock mouse M. namaquensis Smith, 1834. Recent morphometric and morphological patterns of intraspecific variation suggested the recognition of only four subspecies: M. n. namaquensis, M. n. alborarius, M. n. monticularis and M. n. lehocla, of which the distributions appeared to coincide with the major phytogeographical zones of southern Africa. In the present study earlier analyses of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome b (cyt b) gene variation were extended. Taken together these results show that M. namaquensis represents a polytypic species complex but with much more diversity than detected using morphology. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses revealed 14 genetically distinct lineages of which several show strong geographic association with particular vegetation biomes or bioregions. The distributional ranges of eight of these lineages showed some correspondence with the type localities of previously described subspecies of M. namaquensis. Some clades displayed considerable within-lineage variation indicating possible fine-scale population structuring, while others showed very little differentiation. Divergence times between lineages varied between 7.26 MYA and 2.70 MYA, corresponding to a Late Miocene to Pliocene radiation. Cytochrome b sequences alone do not fully resolve the evolutionary relationships among the lineages and the phylogenetic analysis was thus supplemented with nuclear Recombination Activating Gene 1 (RAG1) sequences. This gene was successfully sequenced for 11 of the identified lineages. Independent analyses of the two genes were not congruent possibly as a result of incomplete lineage sorting of the nuclear gene. The combined dataset yielded good support for six of the lineages. Finally, a more detailed phylogeographic analysis was conducted among ten localities of the Eastern Kalahari Bushveld lineage based on mitochondrial cyt b sequences to elucidate processes underlying diversification in this species complex. A genetic pattern of phylogenetic continuity with a lack of spatial separation was observed. The mismatch distribution analysis suggests that the lineage has expanded its population size and the geographical expansion may have followed environmental changes in the recent past. Estimates of female gene flow indicate connectivity among localities but not to the extent expected for a panmictic population. Instead a combination of a stepping-stone model and metapopulation dynamics may be applicable to this lineage. Examination of type material of described subspecies is needed to resolve the identity of the unique lineages which will allow us to better understand the phylogeography and mode of speciation in M. namaquensis. In addition, localities of sympatry (lineages in sympatry) should also be studied in more detail in order to help resolve the current taxonomic uncertainties within M. namaquensis. Future research should therefore include a multidisciplinary approach, such as cytogenetics, morphology and more gene regions. Copyright.
Download or read book Techniques in Molecular Systematics and Evolution written by Rob DeSalle and published by Birkhäuser. This book was released on 2013-12-01 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The amount of information that can be obtained by using molecular techniques in evolution, systematics and ecology has increased exponentially over the last ten years. The need for more rapid and efficient methods of data acquisition and analysis is growing accordingly. This manual presents some of the most important techniques for data acquisition developed over the last years. The choice and justification of data analysis techniques is also an important and critical aspect of modern phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis and so a considerable part of this volume addresses this important subject. The book is mainly written for students and researchers from evolutionary biology in search for methods to acquire data, but also from molecular biology who might be looking for information on how data are analyzed in an evolutionary context. To aid the user, information on web-located sites is included wherever possible. Approaches that will push the amount of information which systematics will gather in the
