Blending in may promote biodiversity in birds
Kimball, Rebecca T., et al. “Can Convergence in Mixed-Species Flocks Lead to Evolutionary Divergence? Evidence for and Methods to Test This Hypothesis.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 378, no. 1878, 2023, doi:10.1098/rstb.2022.0112.
I found this article since the lead researcher was mentioned in a recent Twitter post on a page I follow called "American Ornithological Society." I used Google Scholar to look her up and found this article. The study by Kimball and her fellow researchers shows that convergence in mixed-species flocks can lead to evolutionary divergence. The study suggests that social behavior can play a key role in evolution and the changes that occur. By using DNA sequence data, the researchers were able to analyze the genetic similarities and differences between several bird species that form mixed-species flocks in China. They found that some species were very similar in genetics, others were very different, which proves that divergence can come from similarity. Overall, the study advances our understanding of how evolution works and shows how important it can be to understand interactions between species. If I were to pick a main character, I might pick the idea of evolutionary divergence, because the researchers do not present as prominent characters nor do any specific birds.
Bird feeding can help fight infection
Watson, Hannah, et al. “Thermoregulatory Costs of the Innate Immune Response Are Modulated by Winter Food Availability in a Small Passerine.” Journal of Animal Ecology, 2023, doi:10.1111/1365-2656.13914.
I found this study by looking up an article I had already read a bit about on Science Daily. I used the UCI Library database to fine it and read it. The study, conducted by Hannah Watson and her colleagues investigated the relationship between winter food availability, immune response, and thermoregulatory costs for the willow tit. The researchers measured the birds' metabolic rate, immune function, and body temperature after giving it different food amounts and types. They found that when food was scarce, the birds had a lower immune response and a higher thermoregulatory. This study helps show how birds adjust their metabolic rates and balance energy between immune function and thermoregulation in response to food availability and other environmental factors. The main character in this study might be the willow tit because of the close applicability of the research to common factors the bird might face in harsh winter months.
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