DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Character displacement in the morphology and song of two closely-related African barbets

修补匠鸟是一种小型的热带非洲鸟类，会唱非常简单的歌曲。遗传变异被认为是与那些不从文化中学习歌声的鸟类种群（如修补匠鸟）的歌声变异相平行的。该项目的目的是研究两个相关物种种群之间歌曲差异模式的遗传基础，以及身体大小和喙形的差异。这种分歧的发生是为了促进两个物种的共存，这两个物种在生态和行为上是如此相似，以至于每个物种的个体可以像与自己物种的个体一样相互竞争。如果两个物种不能识别对方是不同的物种，他们甚至可以互相交配，产生不育的杂交后代。在生态或行为特征上的差异，促进相关物种的识别和共存的过程被称为性格置换。分析还将解释歌声、体型和喙形是否适应环境的差异，或者是否随地理距离而随机变化。虽然性格置换是生态学和进化学中一个成熟的理论，但在自然界中很少发现这样的例子。这项研究将提供第一个明确的演示，在鸟类鸣叫的字符位移，并提供支持，它与身体大小和喙形状的平行变化。该项目涉及与乌干达和喀麦隆的保护组织合作，雇用其工作人员以及乌干达大学本科生担任实地助理，从而帮助发展中国家培养科学家。

Tinkerbirds are tiny tropical African birds that sing very simple songs. Genetic variation is thought to parallel song variation among populations of birds that do not learn their songs culturally, such as tinkerbirds. The aim of this project is to examine the genetic basis of a pattern of divergence in song between populations of two related species, as well as divergence in body size and beak shape. Such divergence is predicted to occur in order to facilitate coexistence of two species that are so similar in ecology and behavior that individuals of each species could compete with each other as they would with individuals of their own species. If two species fail to recognize each other as different species, they could even mate with each other and produce infertile hybrids. The process of divergence in ecological or behavioral traits that facilitates recognition and coexistence of related species is known as character displacement. Analyses will also account for the possibility that song, body size, and beak shape are adapted to differences in the environment, or vary randomly over geographic distances.While character displacement is a well-established theory in ecology and evolution, few examples have been found in nature. This study will provide the first unambiguous demonstration of character displacement in bird song, and provide support for it with parallel shifts in body size and beak shape. The project involves working with conservation organizations in Uganda and Cameroon, employing their staff as well as Ugandan university undergraduates as field assistants, thus helping the development of scientists in developing countries.