| Abstract Detail
Ecology Lopez-Marmolejo, Clara [1], McIntyre, Patrick [2], Cacho, N. Ivalu [3]. Hummingbirds as drivers of floral morphology in the Caribbean spurge Euphorbia tithymaloides. A pattern of convergent floral shortening has been documented across populations of the Caribbean spurge Euphorbia tithymaloides, so that derived Antillean populations of this species-complex have relatively shorter cyathia (modified inflorescences) compared to continental populations.
As E. tithymaloides is primarily visited by hummingbirds, one potential explanation for the relatively shorter cyathia in Antillean populations is that floral shape is tracking hummingbird bill shape across the landscape. Here, we present preliminary results testing for an association between floral and hummingbird traits. We use cyathia shape data from the field and preserved specimens as well as data on hummingbird bill size from trait data repositories and the primary literature. We also present methods we have implemented to derive bill size measurements from digital images of ornithological specimens evaluated against traditional measurements obtained using calipers.
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1 - Instituto de Biologia, UNAM, Botanica, 3er Circuito De Ciudad Universitaria s/n, Coyoacan, CDMX, 04510, Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, CDMX, 04510, Mexico
2 - NatureServe, 680 38th Street Suite 120, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA
3 - Instituto De Biologia, UNAM, Botanica, 3er Circuito de Ciudad Universitaria s/n UNAM, Coyoacan, CDMX, DF, 04510, Mexico
Keywords:
hummingbirds
Selection
Euphorbia tithymaloides
trait matching.
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P1, Ecology Posters
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Monday, July 19th, 2021
Time: 5:00 PM(EDT)
Number: P1EC029
Abstract ID:317
Candidate for Awards:Ecological Section Best Undergraduate Presentation Award |
