Role of ecological and evolutionary processes in structuring global river bird assemblages

河流及其河岸带为研究选择性压力在构建物种组合和识别驱动它们的关键过程中的作用提供了独特的背景。这些线性生态系统提供了陆地-水界面生境，容易受到自然干扰制度的影响，从而导致具有挑战性的生活条件。少数鸟类专门生活在高能山地河流的边缘，其丰富度在高生产力和地形起伏的地区达到顶峰。目前对物种分布模式和组装模式的理解依赖于模拟环境和气候的相关性，而不考虑历史过程。BAIRS旨在了解历史偶然性、环境过滤和适应作为世界专业河鸟群落聚集的驱动力所起的相对作用。为了实现这一目标，BAIRS将分析河鸟的历史多样性、谱系持久性和活动范围动态。我将分析形态、颜色和声音特征空间，以破坏觅食和交配信号策略中的关键适应，以揭示适应和收敛在鸟类河边生活方式演变中的作用。我将评估过去的冰川事件和避难所如何在推动分歧和扩散事件中发挥作用，从而促进只有少数具有独特特征的鸟类专门从事依赖全球河流地区的生活。采用跨学科的方法，BAIRS的调查结果将通过深入了解一个高度可见和直言不讳的群体，在一个受到高度威胁的生态系统中为保护优先事项提供信息。在这个项目中，我将获得形态进化模型方面的专业知识，高级分析技能和开放科学实践的经验，导师和教学，这将改善我的职业前景，并促进我作为一名独立研究人员的成长。

Rivers and their riparian zones present a unique context to study the effect of selective pressures in structuring species assemblages and discerning the key processes driving them. These linear ecosystems provide land-water interface habitats prone to natural disturbance regimes that result in challenging living conditions. A few bird species have specialized to live exclusively along the margins of high energy montane rivers with richness peaking in areas of high productivity and topographic relief. Current understanding of species distribution patterns and assembly patterns depends on modelling environmental and climatic correlates without accounting for historical processes. BAIRS aims at an understanding of the relative roles of historical contingency, environmental filtering and adaptation as drivers of community assembly in specialist riverine birds of the world. To achieve this, BAIRS will analyse the historical diversification, lineage persistance and range dynamics of riverine birds. I will analyse morphological, colour and acoustic trait space to undermine key adaptations in foraging and mate signaling strategies to reveal the role of adaptation and convergence in the evolution of a riverine lifestyle in birds. I will assess how past glaciation events and refugias have played a role in driving divergence and dispersal events thus facilitating only a few species of birds with unique traits to specialize for a life dependent on riverine areas globally. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, findings from BAIRS will inform conservation prioritization in an ecosystem that is highly threatened through an in depth understanding of a group which is highly visible and vocal. During this project, I will gain expertise in models of morphological evolution, experience in advanced analytical skills and open science practices, mentorship, teaching that will improve my career prospects and foster my growth as an independent researcher.