USING MORPHOMETRICS TO DETERMINE SEX IN A NEOTROPICAL PASSERINE: THE GRAY‐BREASTED WOOD‐WREN (HENICORHINA LEUCOPHRYS)

Abstract ∙ Sexual size dimorphism is a widespread pattern among birds, but has remained untested for many Neotropical species. Here we examine sexual differences in a relatively common passerine that is found from Mexico to Bolivia, the Gray‐breasted Wood‐Wren (Henicorhina leucophrys), and provide models to determine the sex of individuals using classical morphometric variables. Measuring 137 museum specimens from five of the 17 recognized subspecies, we describe and test patterns of sexual size dimorphism. Differences between males and females in this sexually monochromatic species were assessed through t‐tests and Logistic Regression Analyses (LRA). Males were larger than females in most measurements for all taxa. Additionally, using univariate LRA models we correctly classified 83–93% of the males and 70–93% of the females using wing length for manastarae and meridana, tail length for tamae and bill length for venezuelensis. All our analyses showed adequate significance and goodness of fit, and models were compared according to their classification percentages and AICc values. We highlight that patterns of sexual dimorphism in this species vary geographically, with some subspecies being more dimorphic than others. To the best of our knowledge, this morphometric research represents the first sex determination assessment for a Neotropical passerine while considering geographic variation, and a first step to describe and understand the patterns of phenotypic variation in this wren species. Resumen ∙ La morfometria como herramienta de determinación del sexo en un paseriforme Neotropical: el Cucarachero Selvático (Henicorhina leucophrys) El dimorfismo sexual de tamaño es común en las aves; sin embargo, no ha sido estudiado en un gran número de especies Neotropicales. En este trabajo examinamos las diferencias sexuales en un paseriforme de amplia distribución que se distribuye desde México hasta Bolivia, el Cucarachero Selvático (Henicorhina leucophrys), y proveemos modelos de determinación del sexo a través del uso de variables morfométricas clásicas. Para describir los patrones de dimorfismo sexual se midieron un total de 137 ejemplares de museo pertenecientes a cinco de las 17 subespecies reconocidas. Evaluamos las diferencias entre machos y hembras de esta especie sexualmente monocromática a través de pruebas t y determinamos los patrones de dimorfismo sexual implementando análisis de Regresión Logística. En todos los taxa los machos presentaron valores mayores que las hembras para la mayoría de las variables. Modelos univariados de Regresión Logística clasificaron correctamente entre 83–93% de los machos y 70–93% de las hembras dentro de cada subespecie, usando largo de ala para manastarae y meridana, largo de cola para tamae y largo de pico para venezuelensis. Los modelos mostraron efectos significativos y valores de bondad de ajuste adecuados, y fueron comparados a través de sus porcentajes de clasificación y valores de AICc. Mostramos que en esta especie los patrones de dimorfismo sexual varían geográficamente, siendo algunas subespecies más dimórficas que otras. Hasta donde sabemos, este estudio aborda por primera vez la determinación del sexo a través de variables morfométricas en un paseriforme Neotropical, considerando su variación geográfica, y representa un primer paso en la caracterización y el estudio de los patrones fenotípicos de esta especie

Present and past ecological niche models for the Great Tit (Parus major)

This presentation was given as part of the GIS Day@KU symposium on November 14, 2018. For more information about GIS Day@KU activities, please see http://gis.ku.edu/gisday/2018/PLATINUM SPONSORS: KU Department of Geography and Atmospheric Science KU Institute for Policy & Social Research GOLD SPONSORS: KU Libraries State of Kansas Data Access & Support Center (DASC) SILVER SPONSORS: Bartlett & West Kansas Applied Remote Sensing Program KU Center for Global and International Studies BRONZE SPONSORS: Boundles

Effects of occurrence data density on conservation prioritization strategies

Place-prioritization analyses are a means by which researchers can translate information on the geographic distributions of species into quantitative prioritizations of areas for biodiversity conservation action. Although several robust algorithms are now available to support this sort of analysis, their vulnerability to biases deriving from incomplete and imbalanced distributional information is not well understood. In this contribution, we took a well-sampled group (i.e., Icteridae or New World blackbirds) in an intensively sampled region (the contiguous continental United States), and developed a set of pseudo-experimental manipulations of occurrence data density—in effect, we created situations in which data density was reduced 10- or 100-fold, and situations in which data density varied 100-fold from region to region. The effects were marked: priority areas for conservation shifted, appeared, and disappeared as a function of our manipulations. That is, differences in density of data can affect the position and complexity of areas of high conservation priority that are identified using distributional areas of species derived from ecological niche modeling. The effects of data density on prioritizations become more diffuse when considerations of existing protected areas and costs related to human intervention are taken into account, but changes are still manifested. Appropriate considerations of sampling density when constructing ecological niche models to identify distributional areas of species are key to preventing artifactual biases from entering into and affecting results of analyses of conservation priority

Curso modelado de nicho ecológico, version 1.0

The suite of ideas, protocols, and software tools that has come to be known as “Ecological Niche Modeling” (ENM) — as well as those for the related “Species Distribution Modeling” (SDM)—has seen intensive exploration and research attention in recent decades. In spite of at least four syntheses, the field has grown so much in complexity that it is rather difficult to access for newcomers. Until now, accessibility to this field was achieved by in-person courses organized by universities or research centers, in some of which we have participated as instructors. However, the access to these specialized courses is limited, on one hand because they are not offered in all universities, and on the other because normally they are taught in English. To expand the access to a wider community of Spanish-speaking researchers, here we offer an entirely digital and free-of-charge course in Spanish, which was presented over 23 weeks via Internet in 2018. Although intrinsic Internet-related barriers may limit access to course materials, we have made them available in diverse formats (video, audio, pdf) in order to eliminate most of these problems.El conjunto de ideas, métodos y programas informáticos que se conoce como “Modelado de Nicho Ecológico” (MNE)—y el relacionado “Modelado de Distribución de Especies” (MDS)—han sido objeto de intensa exploración e investigación en las últimas décadas. A pesar de existir al menos cuatro síntesis publicadas, este campo ha crecido tanto en complejidad, que la formación de nuevos investigadores es difícil. Hasta ahora, dicha formación se ha hecho de manera presencial en cursos organizados por universidades o centros de investigación, de los que hemos formado parte como instructores. Sin embargo, el acceso a este tipo de cursos especializados es restringido, por un lado, porque los cursos no se ofrecen en todas las universidades, y por otro, porque normalmente se imparten en inglés. Para facilitar el acceso a una mayor comunidad de científicos de habla hispana, presentamos un curso en español, completamente digital y de acceso gratuito, que se realizó vía Internet durante 23 semanas consecutivas en 2018. Aunque las barreras intrínsecas al uso de Internet pueden dificultar la accesibilidad a los materiales del curso, hemos usado diversos formatos para la divulgación de los contenidos académicos (video, audio, pdf) con el objetivo de eliminar la mayor parte de estos problemas

ENM2020 : A FREE ONLINE COURSE AND SET OF RESOURCES ON MODELING SPECIES NICHES AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The field of distributional ecology has seen considerable recent attention, particularly surrounding the theory, protocols, and tools for Ecological Niche Modeling (ENM) or Species Distribution Modeling (SDM). Such analyses have grown steadily over the past two decades-including a maturation of relevant theory and key concepts-but methodological consensus has yet to be reached. In response, and following an online course taught in Spanish in 2018, we designed a comprehensive English-language course covering much of the underlying theory and methods currently applied in this broad field. Here, we summarize that course, ENM2020, and provide links by which resources produced for it can be accessed into the future. ENM2020 lasted 43 weeks, with presentations from 52 instructors, who engaged with >2500 participants globally through >14,000 hours of viewing and >90,000 views of instructional video and question-and-answer sessions. Each major topic was introduced by an "Overview" talk, followed by more detailed lectures on subtopics. The hierarchical and modular format of the course permits updates, corrections, or alternative viewpoints, and generally facilitates revision and reuse, including the use of only the Overview lectures for introductory courses. All course materials are free and openly accessible (CC-BY license) to ensure these resources remain available to all interested in distributional ecology.Peer reviewe

Variación geográfica, genética y morfológica del Cucarachero Selvático \u3cem\u3eHenicorhina leucophrys\u3c/em\u3e (Aves: Troglodytidae) en Venezuela / Geographic Variation in Mitochondrial and Phenotypical Characters of the Gray-Breasted Wood-Wren \u3cem\u3eHenicorhina leucophrys\u3c/em\u3e (Aves: Troglodytidae) from Venezuela

El análisis de la variación geográfica de una especie permite determinar el grado de diferenciación entre poblaciones y formular hipótesis sobre su historia evolutiva. El Cucarachero Selvático Henicorhina leucophrys (Aves: Troglodytidae) cuenta con cinco subespecies que se distribuyen en las montañas del norte de Venezuela. Estas subespecies han sido descritas con base en diferencias sutiles de plumaje, cuya variación individual no ha sido evaluada a fondo. En el presente trabajo se caracterizaron los patrones de diferenciación molecular, morfométrico y de plumaje de las poblaciones de H. leucophrys en Venezuela y se contrastaron con la taxonomía actual. En los análisis filogeográficos, basados en ADN mitocondrial (ATP-sintasa 6 y 8), se determinaron siete linajes con una diferenciación genética considerable entre ellos (6–9%), así como patrones de no monofilia para las subespecies H. l. tamae, H. l. meridana y H. l. venezuelensis. Aunque los patrones morfológicos se caracterizaron por una gran variabilidad individual, se encontraron diferencias desconocidas en largos de cola, tarso y pico. Adicionalmente, con el uso de fotografía digital se realizaron análisis colorimétricos, encontrándose diferencias de color en la región ventral y en el patrón de estrías de la garganta entre poblaciones del norte del país (Serranía de Perijá, Cordillera de la Costa) y poblaciones andinas (Tamá, Cordillera de Mérida). Los patrones fenotípicos encontrados no permiten diagnosticar las poblaciones venezolanas de H. leucophrys a nivel subespecífico. Sin embargo, debido al uso de múltiples caracteres este trabajo representa un aporte clave para la sistemática de la especie y el estudio de su diversificación críptica en Venezuela. The study of geographic variation enables to assess the degree of differentiation between populations and generate hypotheses about their evolutionary history. The Gray-breasted WoodWren Henicorhina leucophrys (Aves: Troglodytidae) has five subspecies that can be found along mountain ranges of northern Venezuela. These taxa have been described based on subtle plumage differences but individual variation within them has not been thoroughly evaluated. In this study we aimed to characterize geographic variation patterns on molecular and classical morphological characters. Our phylogeographic analysis, using two mitochondrial genes (ATPase 6 & 8), showed seven lineages with considerable amount of genetic divergence between them (6-9%), suggesting that at least the subspecies H. l. tamae, H. l. meridana and H. l. venezuelensis are non-monophyletic. Although individual variation was considerable, we revealed unknown significant differences in tail, tarsus and bill lengths. Additionally, using colorimetric analysis with digital photography, we found differences in ventral color and the proportion of streaks of the throat between northern (Serranía de Perijá, Cordillera de la Costa) and Andean populations (Tamá, Cordillera de Mérida). These phenotypical differences are not congruent with current taxonomy, which make diagnosis difficult between Venezuelan subspecies. Nevertheless, our multiple character approach represents a key contribution to the species systematics and the understanding of its cryptic differentiation in Venezuela

A simulation-based method for selecting calibration areas for ecological niche models and species distribution models

Ecological niche models and species distribution models (ENM and SDM, respectively) are tools that have seen massive use and considerable improvement during the last twenty years. The choice of calibration areas for such models has strong effects on model outcomes and model interpretation, as well as on model transfer to distinct environmental settings. However, approaches to selecting these areas remain simple and/or unlinked to biological concepts. Such models should be calibrated within areas that the species of interest has explored throughout its recent history, the accessible area (M). In this paper, we provide a simulation approach for estimating a species’ M considering processes of dispersal, colonization, and extinction in constant current climate or glacial-interglacial climate change frameworks, implemented within a new R package we developed called grinnell. Using the avian genus Aphelocoma, we explored different parameterizations of our simulation, and compared them to current approaches for M selection, in terms of model performance and risk of extrapolation using the algorithm Maxent and mobility-oriented parity analyses. Model calibration exercises from all approaches resulted in at least one model meeting optimal performance criteria for each species; however, we noted high variability among taxa and M selection methods. More importantly, M hypotheses derived directly from simulations of key biological processes, rather than being based on simple proxies of those processes, and as such are better suited to erecting biologically appropriate contrasts in model calibration, and to characterizing the potential for model extrapolation more rigorously. Major factors in our simulations were environmental layer resolution, dispersal kernel characteristics, and the inclusion of a changing framework of climatic conditions. This contribution represents the first simulation-based method for selecting calibration areas for ENM and SDM, offering a quantitative approach to estimate the accessible area of a species while considering its dispersal ability, along with patterns of change in environmental suitability across space and time

Monitoreo del Conoto Negro \u3cem\u3ePsarocolius decumanus\u3c/em\u3e en un ecosistema urbano: Una iniciativa de ciencia ciudadana en Caracas, Venezuela / Monitoring the Crested Oropendola \u3cem\u3ePsarocolius decumanus\u3c/em\u3e in an Urban Ecosystem: A Citizen Science Initiative in Caracas, Venezuela

En 2016 se inició el proyecto “Conotos de Caracas”, una iniciativa de ciencia ciudadana que busca dar a conocer la situación del Conoto Negro Psarocolius decumanus en la capital de Venezuela. El Conoto Negro no parece haber sido un ave común en la ciudad de Caracas, pero en años recientes el número de registros de ocurrencia ha aumentado considerablemente. A través de un portal en línea (https://lbcaves.wixsite.com/conotosccs) se recibieron 652 reportes de individuos y/o colonias de la especie, realizados por 103 participantes desde enero de 2016 hasta marzo de 2019. La mayoría de los reportes fueron realizados en los municipios Baruta, Libertador y Sucre, durante el primer semestre de cada año. A pesar de que el número de voluntarios se ha mantenido en crecimiento, con la adición constante de nuevos participantes, su compromiso en términos de número de reportes por voluntario ha sido relativamente bajo. Los reportes recibidos y el monitoreo de las colonias urbanas registradas permitió describir nuevos aspectos de la biología de la especie, entre ellos la extensión de la duración de su temporada reproductiva en Venezuela (diciembre – agosto), el consumo de flores de Ceiba pentandra por primera vez, y una conducta cooperativa entre hembras, durante la construcción del nido, hasta ahora no descrita. A través de esta investigación se muestra que la especie se ha establecido en la ciudad de Caracas como un ave urbana durante la última década. Por ello, resaltamos el valor que el proyecto ha tenido en el levantamiento de información biológica del Conoto Negro, promoviendo la participación ciudadana y fomentando el aprecio por el ecosistema de la ciudad de Caracas. In 2016 we initiated the citizen science project “Conotos de Caracas” with the goal of evaluating the status of Crested Oropendolas Psarocolius decumanus in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. Crested Oropendolas seem to have been uncommon in the past, but in recent years the number of sightings in the city has notably increased. Through an online portal (https://lbcaves.wixsite.com/conotosccs) we received 652 observations of individuals and/or nesting colonies made by 103 contributors from January 2016 to March 2019. Most of the observations were done in Baruta, Libertador, and Sucre municipalities during the first semester of each year. The number of volunteers increased at a constant rate, although their engagement was relatively low. The observations and monitoring of the discovered nesting colonies revealed novel biological aspects of the species, such as the extension of the breeding season of the species in Venezuela (December – August), the first record of consumption of Ceiba pentandra flowers, and an undescribed cooperative behavior of nest building. Through our approach, we were able to show that Crested Oropendolas established in the city as an urban species during the last decade. We stress the value of this citizen science initiative in obtaining relevant biological information, while promoting public participation and the appreciation of the urban ecosystem in Caracas