Collaborative Research: Avian Diversification Across Tropical Asia: A Systematic and Biogeographic Analysis of Babblers (Aves: Timaliidae)

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Biodiversity study in tropical Asia remains in its infancy largely because the state of basic systematic research lags far behind other regions. This collaborative project will study the region's most diverse bird group, the babblers, in order to re-evaluate taxonomy, reconstruct evolutionary relationships, and assess the historical factors that influenced biological diversification in tropical Asia. The research will involve detailed study of museum collections, sequencing of mitochondrial and nuclear gene regions, and integration of phylogenetic and earth history data to produce the most detailed picture of avian diversification in tropical Asia to date. The project will result in a more accurate assessment of biodiversity in tropical Asia and produce a robust framework of diversification patterns across the region. It complements ongoing biodiversity initiatives in the region and the results will be of immediate use to conservation biologists that are tasked with identifying unique and diverse faunas in order to prioritize areas for protection. The research will also provide significant educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at the participating institutions, and increase public understanding of biodiversity issues through public exhibits and outreach programs at two natural history museums.