Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ISLADAPT (Morphological evolution in island birds: underlying molecular and ecological mechanisms)
Berichtszeitraum: 2023-09-01 bis 2025-08-31
What causes the dramatic variation observed in animal body sizes and shapes? Understanding body size variation within and across species has been a central quest in evolutionary biology, but many of the mechanisms underlying body size evolution remain elusive. Islands are simplified ecosystems with a reduced number of habitats, species diversity and number of predators, and generally milder climates, making them ideal natural laboratories for dissecting the intricate mechanisms underlying body size evolution. Oceanic islands are colonised by mainland species that subsequently evolve under a new environment, leading to remarkable cases of morphological evolution.
ISLADAPT project aimed to investigate the mechanisms involved in morphological evolution of birds on islands. Specifically it aimed 1) to provide a robust worldwide study of the role of competition, predation and climate in morphological evolution and thereby conducting a detailed investigation of the mechanisms underlying body size evolution in both sexes in responses to insularity, 2) explore the role of feeding niche for morphological evolution and 3) to investigate whether morphological evolution is related to species diversification in birds.
ISLADAPT project aimed to investigate the mechanisms involved in morphological evolution of birds on islands. Specifically it aimed 1) to provide a robust worldwide study of the role of competition, predation and climate in morphological evolution and thereby conducting a detailed investigation of the mechanisms underlying body size evolution in both sexes in responses to insularity, 2) explore the role of feeding niche for morphological evolution and 3) to investigate whether morphological evolution is related to species diversification in birds.
The first objective of the project aimed to answer three main research questions: 1) whether island bird morphology shifts more on islands in which competitors and predators are present, 2) how climatic factors affected the evolution of birds’ body size/shape on islands and 3) whether insular species showed more pronounced body size sexual dimorphism. To answer these questions, we first compiled a database of endemic bird species and their mainland counterparts, collecting morphological data from museums and literature. Second, we gathered environmental and ecological data (like predator and competitor pressure) by using GIS methodologies. This objective will result in three scientific publications, and we have already communicated the results at several international and national conferences, such as the Evolution Meetings in the USA in 2024 and 2025, and the Portuguese Ethological Society Conference in 2023 and 2024.
In the second objective, I aimed to understand if island and mainland relative bird species differ in their trophic niche and if there is a correlation between morphological and trophic niche diversification in island and mainland birds. I obtained diet information from island and mainland species from the Gulf of Guinea by using DNA metabarcoding techniques. The morphological data were obtained from the measurements taken in the fieldwork of the previous years, and they were completed with information from the literature. This objective will result in one publication and is currently under analysis.
In the third objective, I aimed to understand if rates of evolution are related to morphological change in island birds. To do that, we reconstructed the phylogeny of Acrocephalidae family. We obtained morphological data from the literature, and we performed comparative and diversification rate analyses. This objective will result in one publication and is currently at the final stages of writing to submit for publication. This work was also presented in two national conferences: the Spanish Ornithological Society conference in 2025 and the Annual Meeting of the Portuguese Association for Evolutionary Biology in 2024.
From the current project, I also co-created a website called Island Bird Project -www.islandbirdproject.com- which provides information on the progress of the project, the team, funded projects, news and research opportunities. We also created a Blusky account @islandbirdproject.bsky.social where we share news about the project.
In the second objective, I aimed to understand if island and mainland relative bird species differ in their trophic niche and if there is a correlation between morphological and trophic niche diversification in island and mainland birds. I obtained diet information from island and mainland species from the Gulf of Guinea by using DNA metabarcoding techniques. The morphological data were obtained from the measurements taken in the fieldwork of the previous years, and they were completed with information from the literature. This objective will result in one publication and is currently under analysis.
In the third objective, I aimed to understand if rates of evolution are related to morphological change in island birds. To do that, we reconstructed the phylogeny of Acrocephalidae family. We obtained morphological data from the literature, and we performed comparative and diversification rate analyses. This objective will result in one publication and is currently at the final stages of writing to submit for publication. This work was also presented in two national conferences: the Spanish Ornithological Society conference in 2025 and the Annual Meeting of the Portuguese Association for Evolutionary Biology in 2024.
From the current project, I also co-created a website called Island Bird Project -www.islandbirdproject.com- which provides information on the progress of the project, the team, funded projects, news and research opportunities. We also created a Blusky account @islandbirdproject.bsky.social where we share news about the project.
By integrating comparative and laboratory work, ISLADAPT project aims to provide new insights on the mechanisms involved in the morphological evolution of birds on islands, both considering females and males birds. This project has shown for the first time clear global patterns of evolution on islands related with body shape of birds and the role of the ecological factors.