Ecomorphological diversity among sympatric Neotropical rodents
Feeding is one of the most important tasks influencing fitness. How animals perform this function can be directly linked to their morphology (e.g., skull, teeth), ecology (e.g., diet), and behavior (e.g., food manipulation). Thus, understanding the interplay among these three components can help us to gain insight into functional adaptations that may have led to ecological specializations, coexistence within diverse communities, and diversification processes.
In collaboration with Sharlene Santana and Jim Kenagy, and as part of my Ph.D. dissertation, I intend to investigate the relationships and variation in morphology, performance, and behavior within and among rodent species at a community level in order to elucidate the ecomorphological mechanisms that may have allowed the evolution of resource partitioning. |
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