Publications by authors named "Laura M Schaedler"
One of the main aspects associated with the diversity in animal colour is the variation in melanization levels. In ectotherms, melanism can be advantageous in aiding thermoregulation through heat absorption. Darker bodies may also serve as a shield from harmful UV-B radiation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBirds with delayed plumage maturation exhibit a drab predefinitive plumage, often despite gonad maturation, before developing the definitive plumage associated with increased reproductive success. Manakins are a diverse clade of neotropical lekking birds with extreme sexual dichromatism, radical sexual displays, and a unique diversity in the predefinitive plumages of males across species. Here, we provide the first full review of the natural history of manakin predefinitive plumages as the basis for qualitatively addressing the six major hypotheses about the production and function of predefinitive plumages.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Scientists aim to uncover the reasons behind the Neotropical region's high bird diversity by examining factors like climate and human impact on morphological variation.
- The ATLANTIC BIRD TRAITS dataset includes over 67,000 bird records spanning 711 species in South America’s Atlantic forests, covering up to 44 morphological traits collected over 200 years.
- This dataset, which is the most extensive of its kind in a biodiversity hotspot, supports both basic scientific research and practical conservation efforts.