Evolution of conventional signals: From individuals to populations and back
| PI(s): | Carlos A. Botero |
| Start Date: | 2009-01-01 |
| 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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Publications- Botero CA, Boogert NJ, Vehrencamp SL and Lovette IJ. 2009. Climatic Patterns Predict the Elaboration of Song Displays in Mockingbirds. Current Biology 19: 1-5.
- de Kort SR, Eldermire ERB, Valderrama S, Botero CA, and Vehrencamp SL. 2009. Trill consistency is an age-related assessment signal in banded wrens. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 276(1665): 2315-2321
- Botero CA. 11 Feb 2009. Talk: The Evolution of Individual Variation in Communication Strategies. U Michigan, Ann Arbor.
- 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. 2009. Climatic variability may explain why good learners are sexy beasts. Duke University. BPCE seminar.
- 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. 20 Feb 2009. Talk: The Evolution of Individual Variation in Communication Strategies. UNC Chapel Hill, NC.
- 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 CA. 21 April 2009. Talk: The Evolution of Individual Variation in Communication Strategies. Duke University, Durham NC.
- Alleyne, R. 2009. Birds are better at singing in the rain - and the cold. Daily Telegraph, UK.
- Callaway, E. 2009. Why geeks get the girls. New Scientist.
- Cane, A. 2009. Bird song linked to survival. Financial Times.
- Conroy, M. 2009. How geeks get girls. Wired Magazine.
- Gill, V. 2009. Climate link to mockingbird songs. BBC News. Also ran in the Herald de Paris: http://www.heralddeparis.com/climate-link-to-mockingbird-songs/36495
- Gill, V. 2009. Songbirds sing cross-species duet. BBC News.
- Hirson, B. 2009. Science Update Radio Interview (AAAS). Climate-enhanced bird songs.
- Holden, C. 2009. Brainy birds get more chicks. Science Magazine.
- Holden, C. 2009. It's fit to be smart. Science Magazine.
- Kessler, M. 2009. Mockingbirds: the tougher the weather, the better they sing. USA Today.
- Millius, S. 2009. For some birds, chancy climates mean better singers. Science News 175(13): 8.
- Smith, R.A. 2009. Mockingbirds in fickle climes sing fancier tunes. Duke University Office of News and Communications.
- Unknown. 2009. Animal behaviour: Singing in the Rain. Nature 459: 487. doi:10.1038/459487b; Published online 27 May 2009
- Unknown 2009. Hard times make birds better singers. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC Science.
