Postdoctoral Fellow

Evolution of conventional signals: from individuals to populations and back

PI(s): Carlos A. Botero
Start Date: 1-Jan-2009
End Date: 31-Dec-2011
Keywords: behavior, communication, evolutionary theory, climate change

I am a behavioral ecologist specialized in the field of animal communication. My research program combines empirical and theoretical work and spans different levels of analysis. An important goal of my NESCent project is the development of a general modeling framework in which communication behaviors are viewed as evolving norms of reaction. This novel approach has allowed me to explore fundamental, yet little-known aspects of the evolutionary dynamics of communication. For example, I am currently studying the mechanisms behind the evolution of individual variation in communication strategies and the link between this process and the evolution of personality in animals.

During my stay at NESCent I have also taken advantage of the tremendous in-house expertise on phylogenetic and comparative methods to develop a series of projects that explore the effects of climatic niches on biological processes. For example, in collaboration with colleagues at Cornell University, I recently showed that birds living in more variable and unpredictable environments tend to have more elaborate sexual displays.



Please visit my personal website to learn more about me and my research: http://duke.edu/~cb176/

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PublicationsPresentations
  • Botero, CA. 20 Nov 2009. Individual-based simulations for the study of animal communication. North Carolina State University (hosted by the labs of Rob Dunn, Kevin Gross, and Nick Haddad)
  • Botero, C. A. 2009. Plenary talk: Genetic algorithms and philogenetic methods for the study of the evolution of communication in animals. II Symposium of the Colombian Network of Evolutionary Biologists. Cali, Colombia.
  • Botero, CA. 2009. Climatic variability may explain why good learners are sexy beasts. Duke University. BPCE seminar.
  • Botero C. A. 2009. Climatic patterns Predict the elaboration of song displays in mockingbirds. American Ornithologists' Union Symposium: From phylogeny to physiology: integrative studies of starlings and mockingbirds. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
  • Botero CA. 21 April 2009. Talk: The Evolution of Individual Variation in Communication Strategies. Duke University, Durham NC.
  • Botero CA. 20 Feb 2009. Talk: The Evolution of Individual Variation in Communication Strategies. UNC Chapel Hill, NC.
  • Botero CA. 11 Feb 2009. Talk: The Evolution of Individual Variation in Communication Strategies. U Michigan, Ann Arbor.
  • Botero, CA (Sep 2011)Climate change, fluctuating selection and the evolution of adaptive flexibility. East Carolina State University. Departmental Seminar (Biology)
  • Botero, CA and DR Rubenstein (2011) Variable environments, fluctuating selection and the stability of breeding partnerships in birds. Talk presented at Evolution 2011 (Norman, OK) and Behavior 2011 (Bloomington, IN)
  • Botero, CA 22 Nov 2010. Environmental and individual variation as agents of selection in the evolution of animal communication. Departamental seminar for the College of Charleston. Charleston NC
  • Jenkins, K., February 2010. NESCent Podcast: Speciation in real time.
  • Botero, C. A. March 1, 2010. Phylogenetics and the study of animal communication. Institut fur O–kologie und Evolution, University of Bern. Switzerland.
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