Publications by authors named "K J Parsons"

The evolution of adaptive phenotypic divergence requires heritable genetic variation. However, it is underappreciated that trait heritability is molded by developmental processes interacting with the environment. We hypothesized that the genetic architecture of divergent functional traits was dependent on age and foraging environment.

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. Classification models for electroencephalogram (EEG) data show a large decrease in performance when evaluated on unseen test subjects. We improve performance using new regularization techniques during model training.

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Efforts to reconcile development and evolution have demonstrated that development is biased, with phenotypic variation being more readily produced in certain directions. However, how this "developmental bias" can influence micro- and macroevolution is poorly understood. In this review, we demonstrate that defining features of adaptive radiations suggest a role for developmental bias in driving adaptive divergence.

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Article Synopsis
  • Isolation by distance and geographic boundaries have shaped the population genetic structure of harbour porpoises along the Pacific coast, with a focus on Alaska where recent research used both tissue and environmental DNA (eDNA) samples to fill gaps in previous studies.* -
  • The study found limited genetic differentiation among harbour porpoise populations based on nuclear SNP data, but mtDNA analysis revealed significant structuring, especially between the Gulf of Alaska and the eastern Bering Sea, suggesting restricted gene flow and potential natal site fidelity.* -
  • The targeted eDNA sampling in Southeast Alaska significantly enhanced the genetic dataset, indicating a population boundary within the recognized Southeast Alaska Stock, which is vital for informing conservation efforts and mitigating fisheries conflicts.*
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Highly social top marine predators, including many cetaceans, exhibit culturally learned ecological behaviours such as diet preference and foraging strategy that can affect their resilience to competition or anthropogenic impacts. When these species are also endangered, conservation efforts require management strategies based on a comprehensive understanding of the variability in these behaviours. In the northeast Pacific Ocean, three partially sympatric populations of resident killer whales occupy coastal ecosystems from California to Alaska.

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